Making a Proper Vinaigrette
The store-bought bottle relies on thickeners and stabilizers to keep ingredients suspended. When you make it yourself, you trade that permanence for a brightness that clings to greens rather than drowning them.
Temperature matters less than the whisk.
Use a small bowl and a balloon whisk to ensure the oil breaks into tiny enough droplets to stay suspended in the vinegar. If you are in a rush, a clean jar with a tight lid shaken vigorously works just as well.
- small mixing bowl
- balloon whisk
- measuring spoons
What goes in.
- 1 tbspvinegar (red wine, sherry, or apple cider)
- 3 tbspneutral or extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tspdijon mustard
- to tastekosher salt
- to tastecracked black pepper
The mustard bridge
Mustard acts as a surfactant. By whisking the mustard, salt, and vinegar together before adding the oil, you create a base that allows the oil to incorporate fully instead of pooling on top.
The method.
Combine the base
Whisk the mustard, vinegar, and salt in your bowl until the salt dissolves and the mixture is uniform.
Incorporate the oil
While whisking constantly, pour the oil in a slow, steady stream. Stop when the dressing looks opaque and coats the back of a spoon.
Adjust
Taste with a leaf of lettuce, not just a spoon. Add more oil if it is too sharp, or a drop more vinegar if it feels heavy.
Other turns to take.
Shallot Vinaigrette
Mince one small shallot finely and let it macerate in the vinegar for ten minutes before adding the oil to remove the raw bite.
Citrus Vinaigrette
Replace half the vinegar with fresh lemon or lime juice for a lighter, sharper profile.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If your emulsion breaks, do not throw it out; start a new bowl with a teaspoon of mustard and slowly whisk the broken dressing into it.
Taste your oil before you start; if the olive oil tastes like cardboard, the dressing will carry that flavor.
Dress your greens at the very last second, or the salt will wilt the leaves.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I store this in the fridge?
Yes, but the oil will solidify if you use olive oil. Let it sit on the counter for ten minutes and give it a quick whisk before using.
Why is my dressing separating immediately?
You likely added the oil too quickly. Slow down the pour and make sure the whisk is moving fast enough to break the oil into tiny droplets.
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