House Vinaigrette

I started making my own salad dressings a few years ago when I opened the fridge one day and realized there were at least ten half-empty bottles of dressing languishing on the bottom shelf. I have a real commitment problem when it comes to salad dressing. I buy a new dressing every other time I hit the grocery store because I am seduced by the sexy packaging of just about every product in the condiment aisle and because I apparently suffer from some sort of amnesia that prevents me from remembering that I already have bottles upon bottles waiting forlornly in my fridge. I bring home my newest salad companion, pour it lavishly all over my salads for a few days and then promptly forget about it by the time my next shopping trip rolls around on the weekend. So the end result is the aforementioned army of salad dressing bottles sitting in my fridge that will never be used up before their expiration dates, which is wasteful to say the least. I’m really trying to be less wasteful and more creative in the kitchen so I’ve started whisking together my own dressings, making just enough for a few salads at a time. This minimizes waste, ensures freshness and allows me to switch up my dressings on a whim.

I prefer dressings of the vinaigrette persuasion because I like my salad dressed sharply with the tang of vinegar and the smoothness of olive oil. My house vinaigrette recipe uses white balsamic vinegar, a personal favorite because of its great balance between acidity and sweetness. White balsamic vinegar is much paler than traditional balsamic vinegar and has a lighter taster that marries well with all kind of salads. I love regular balsamic vinegar but sometimes it’s a bit too much for more delicate salads. This house vinaigrette tastes great as is but it’s also the perfect base for all kinds of herbs and seasonings so you can add a pinch of this or a dash of that to enhance whatever style of meal you’re making.

HOUSE VINAIGRETTE

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, crushed

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Allow to sit for for a few minutes to allow the garlic to infuse its flavor.

Remove garlic and whisk thoroughly before serving.

Makes scant 1/2 cup of dressing. Enough for 2 to 4 salads, depending on how wet you like your salad.

Flavoring Suggestions:

Italian Vinaigrette: Add 1 teaspoon dried basil and a pinch of thyme or oregano

Spanish Vinaigrette: Instead of white balsamic vinegar use sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar. Add 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika and 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin.

French Vinaigrette: Increase sugar to 1/2 teaspoon. Add 1 teaspoon herbes de provence or 1 teaspoon tarragon and 1/4 teaspoon ground fennel.

Garlic Vinaigrette: Omit crushed garlic. Instead whisk in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic paste, created by mashing a garlic clove with 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt until very smooth. Add 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley.

P.S. – Check out the beautiful yellow mixing bowl and mini whisk in the picture. My BFF Emily picked it up for me at a little place called Mark Klammer Pottery in upstate New York last year. This set has become my go-to tool for mixing up salad dressing in a flash. The heart shaped design is gorgeous and ingenious! The design is ergonomic so you can easily cradle the bowl with one hand by placing your thumb in the curved indent at the top of the heart, while whisking with the other. The little spout formed by the point of the heart allows you to serve and pour the dressing right out of the mixing bowl. Love it!