Learn How To Make Easy And Delicious Vinaigrettes At Home

Vinaigrettes are emulsified sauces whose main ingredient is an acid such as vinegar (or lemon juice). They are accompanied by a fatty medium such as oil, mayonnaise, sour cream or natural yogurt.

The vinaigrette is used to accompany various dishes such as vegetables, seafood, fish, meat or salads. Learn in the following note different recipes to make delicious vinaigrettes.

Basic vinaigrette recipe

Although it is very easy to make vinaigrettes, you can start with the most basic recipe of all. You make it in five minutes with three simple ingredients and you can use it as a salad dressing, for example. The good news is that you can “play” with the options and do something different each time.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard (15 g)
• ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar (125 ml)
• ¾ cup of olive oil (220 ml)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Elaboration

• To begin, finely chop all the vegetables (if possible with a processor) and place them in a medium container.
• Mix first with the vinegar, then add the oil, salt and pepper.
• The proportions are always one cup of vinegar for every three of oil.

What you should know about vinaigrettes

The vinaigrette is an element that cannot be missing in the kitchen because it gives a wonderful flavor to all our meals. In summer to salads, in winter to steamed vegetables.

They also accompany meats, fish and chicken. There are as many variables as there are people and cooks in the world. Also, you have probably tried more than one recipe at your grandmother’s or mother’s house.

You can use any type of vinegar, although the most common are apple or wine. It is not advisable to use white vinegar because it is very strong.

Finally, in terms of oil, sunflower or rapeseed are the most neutral in flavor. But if you like the strongest, do not hesitate to use the olive or the walnut.

recommendations

• To make the vinaigrette light, it is advisable to “cut” it with water (instead of oil).
• To make it thicker, add some raw egg yolks.
• To mix the ingredients well, use a fork or a mixer.
• To make it last longer in the refrigerator, store it in a tightly closed bottle.
• You can add different ingredients according to your tastes, such as mustard, pepper, lemon juice, etc.

Different types of vinaigrettes

As has been said before, you can find different vinaigrette recipes and all of them have different ingredients. You can divide them as follows:

• With seasonings: onion, shallot, garlic, to enhance the flavor of a delicious and fresh salad.
• With fine herbs: basil, thyme, bay leaf, parsley.

• With spices: citronella, fresh ginger, chilli, ideal for sauces.
• With honey: a small teaspoon to make it a sweeter recipe.
• Vinegar Free: Replace this essential ingredient with wine or liquid cream.
• Oil-free: using plain yogurt flavored with herbs, garlic and lemon juice.
• With citrus fruits: beyond the lemon, you can add grapefruit or orange juice.
• With sauces : soy, mayonnaise or Worcestershire.

• With seeds : sesame, quinoa, amaranth.
• Temperate : the oil must first be heated with some aromatic herb, emulsified with lemon juice and a little cider or apple vinegar. Ideal for baked fish.

What are garnished vinaigrettes?

It is a more “complicated” way of making vinaigrettes, perfect when we already know the other recipes by heart. It is a special event or we want to venture into a more elaborate accompaniment to our meals.

Other ingredients are added to the basic mixture to give the dish more texture, flavor or aroma. Some of the examples are:

• To dress a chicken salad : chopped dried fruit and chives are added to the vinaigrette. It is then mixed with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
• For salads with shellfish or fish : add fruits like mango or pineapple and use dry sherry vinegar. You will achieve a balance between dry and sweet.
• For salads with salted or smoked : add strawberries and raspberry vinegar.

• For salads with only vegetables: the vinaigrette is garnished with fresh chives, chunks of pepper, garlic, etc. Ideal to enhance the taste of tomatoes or asparagus.

Images courtesy of Ryan Kazda, geekspeaklic, He cooks she cooks, Estelle Broyer, Sarah R, and Andrew Weil.