Tuesday, May 22, 2012

A Vinaigrette Vignette

Is vinaigrette intimidating? Mais non! I think it’s just the French name, for nothing is easier than whisking together a few ingredients with great gusto. Taste. Adjust - if needed. Done. The whole process takes a few minutes at best and the result can be perfectly tailored to what you like in a salad dressing. Plus, you bypass the gaggle of age-old salad dressing bottles, clanking unnecessarily as you open the door of the fridge. 
In our house we prefer a sweeter vinaigrette, but as I mentioned, you can tailor this to your own preference. You can re-adjust the ratio of 1:1:3 as you see fit. Or, add a bit of mustard, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice. Experiment freely!

Only one hard and fast rule: if you use maple syrup, use REAL maple syrup -  no Log Cabin or Aunt Jemina. However, you can substitute other real sweetners, such as sugar, honey or brown sugar.
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon real maple syrup 
3 tablespoons olive oil
ground pepper
pinch salt

Whisk together vigorously. Pour over salad & toss. Also good over roasted veggies - pour over while still warm. Serve hot or at room temp.

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