House Vinaigrette

Name: House Vinaigrette
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1 small shallot, very finely chopped, about 20 g; optional; 45 ml (3 tbsp) red or white wine vinegar; 3 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 tsp honey, optional; 135 ml (½ cup + 1 tbsp) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 pinch black pepper, freshly ground

One ratio, endless salads

Makes: about 200 ml (¾ cup), enough for 4 salads
Hands-on: 5 min
Total: 5 min
Level: Easy

A good vinaigrette is three parts oil to one part acid, seasoned with salt and a little mustard to hold it together. Learn this one by heart, then change the vinegar, the oil and the extras as you like.

Ingredients

1small shallotvery finely chopped, about 20 g; optional
45 mlred or white wine vinegar (3 tbsp)
3 gfine sea salt (½ tsp)
2 tspDijon mustard
1 tsphoneyoptional
135 mlextra-virgin olive oil (½ cup + 1 tbsp)
1 pinchblack pepperfreshly ground

Diet: Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free
Allergens: mustard, sulphites

Method

Put the shallot, vinegar and salt in a jar and leave for 5 minutes; the acid softens the shallot's bite and the salt dissolves.
Add the mustard and honey and stir until smooth.
Pour in the oil, close the jar and shake hard for 15 seconds until creamy and emulsified. Or whisk the oil in gradually in a bowl.
Add pepper and taste by dipping a salad leaf. It should taste slightly too sharp and salty on its own; the leaves will soften it.

Why it works

Salt dissolves in vinegar but not in oil, so it goes in first. Mustard contains mucilage and fine particles that coat oil droplets and keep the vinaigrette creamy for longer instead of separating at once. The 3:1 ratio is a starting point; mild vinegars like rice or sherry can take 2:1, and sharp lemon may want 4:1.

Common mistakes

Dressing the salad too early: the leaves wilt. Dress just before serving and toss with your hands.
Wet leaves: water dilutes the dressing and stops it clinging. Spin or pat the leaves dry.
Judging the dressing from a spoon: always taste it on a leaf.

Variations

Lemon vinaigrette: Use lemon juice instead of vinegar and add 1 tsp grated zest.
Sherry–walnut: Use sherry vinegar and half walnut oil; for bitter leaves and Roasted Beet Salad with Goat Cheese.
Balsamic: Use 2 tbsp balsamic plus 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; skip the honey.