Citrus Vinaigrette
A proper vinaigrette is less of a recipe and more of a relationship between your pantry staples. Master the ratio, and you can swap lemons for limes or oranges depending on the greens or seafood you are serving.
Balance is everything
Taste your lemon or lime before you mix; if the fruit is particularly tart, have a tiny amount of honey or maple syrup nearby to nudge the edges off the acidity.
- Small glass bowl
- Balloon whisk
- Measuring spoons
What goes in.
- 1 tbspfresh citrus juice (lemon, lime, or grapefruit)
- 3 tbspextra virgin olive oil or neutral grapeseed oil
- 1/4 tspfine sea salt
- 1 pinchcracked black pepper
- optional1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (for stability)
Stream and Whisk
Never dump the oil in at once. Drizzle the oil into the juice in a slow, steady stream while whisking rapidly to force the fat molecules to suspend in the liquid.
The method.
Dissolve the salt
Place the citrus juice and salt in a bowl. Whisk for thirty seconds until you no longer feel grit at the bottom of the bowl.
Add the stabilizer
If using mustard, whisk it into the juice now. The mustard acts as a bridge between the oil and the juice, keeping the dressing from separating quickly.
Mount the oil
While whisking at a constant pace, pour the oil in a thin, continuous thread. Stop once the liquid turns opaque and thickens to the consistency of heavy cream.
Season
Add the black pepper and taste. Dip a leaf of the lettuce you intend to serve into the dressing; the flavor of the greens will change how the dressing hits your palate.
Other turns to take.
Herbed Citrus
Add one tablespoon of finely minced fresh chives or tarragon after the emulsion is complete.
Toasted Sesame
Replace one tablespoon of the olive oil with toasted sesame oil and add a teaspoon of rice vinegar to the citrus juice.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Room temperature juice incorporates into oil more readily than cold juice.
If the dressing breaks, add one teaspoon of warm water and whisk vigorously to pull it back together.
Make only what you need; fresh citrus-based dressings lose their brightness if stored for more than 24 hours.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why does my dressing look like oil floating on juice?
The oil was added too quickly. Slow your pour and whisk harder to force the two components together.
Can I use bottled juice?
Bottled juice lacks the essential oils found in the zest and fresh pulp, resulting in a flat, one-dimensional dressing.
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