In Western cooking, vinaigrette is the closest thing to an all-purpose sauce. I recommend making vinaigrette in a blender, where it becomes so stable that it can be prepared hours before it is needed. Once made, it can be used on everything from green salad to cold meat, vegetables, or fish dishes to anything that has been broiled or grilled, whether served hot or at room temperature. I well remember the first time I had good vinaigrette, and it was in France. It was so far and away the best salad dressing I’d ever tasted (and at this point I was twenty-six years old, so I’d tasted at least a few, though the vast majority had come out of bottles) that I had to ask the secret. The answer—now so obvious, then a revelation—was shallots. But you can use such a wide variety of flavors in vinaigrette (see the variations) that these days the standard French variety seems almost clichéd.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Combine all the ingredients except the shallot in a blender and turn the machine on; a creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste and add more vinegar, a teaspoon or two at a time, until the balance tastes right to you.
Step 2
Add the shallot and turn the machine on and off a few times until the shallot is minced within the dressing. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve. (This is best made fresh but will keep, refrigerated, for a few days; bring back to room temperature and whisk briefly before using.)
Sauce Gribiche
Step 3
Plain vinaigrette is lovely over steamed vegetables or poached or grilled fish, but gribiche surpasses it: to 1 cup vinaigrette, add 2 tablespoons chopped cornichons or gherkins, 1 teaspoon minced lemon zest, and 1 hard-cooked egg (page 338), peeled and well chopped.
Soy Vinaigrette
Step 4
People love this on green salad or plain steamed vegetables: Use peanut oil or a neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed; use rice wine vinegar and add 1 to 2 tablespoons good-quality soy sauce. The shallot is optional. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Lemon Vinaigrette, Greek Style
Step 5
Great on any chopped salad. Substitute lemon juice for the vinegar. Omit the mustard. Add 1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced, or to taste, or about 1/4 medium onion, minced, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves to the blender; omit the shallot.
