Vinaigrette: the details
Vinaigrette the how to:
Its not always important to emulsify the vinaigrette before using it, especially if you are drizzling it over a salad. You will find that the oil and vinegar will combine when you toss the ingredients. Also, if you are thinking of using it to sauce a plate, it might be good to also have some clumps of olive oil eddying in the vinegar, particularly if it will be used with a fillet of sole.
How you make a vinaigrette really depends on your preference. You can also shift away from the 3 is to 1 ratio. After all, the vinegar that you use may also vary in acidity (the range is usually 4 to 8 percent or even more):
For vinegar that is highly acidic, you can add up to 4 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. The same is the case if you want to use a bit of lemon juice with the vinegar or if you want to substitute lemon juice for vinegar altogether. If you are using an excellent kind of olive oil, you can also use more of it to emphasize its taste.
For delicate salads composed of fresh herbs and butter lettuce, you can use a higher amount of extra-virgin oil that is especially floral in taste. This makes for softer vinaigrette.
For sharper tasting vinaigrette, use a bigger percentage of aged balsamic vinegar. This will complement dishes that need a more prominent flavor, such as a wilted bitter green salad or a grilled steak.
For use with wild salmon or seared flank, vinaigrette with a pronounced mustardy taste will also be great.
You can also play around with the flavors. For example, you can combine mellow sherry vinegar with walnut oil, or add some toasted sesame oil to olive oil and mild rice wine vinegar.
Experiment with the texture of your vinaigrette. You may add ingredients that enrich the texture. Examples are grated ginger, stone-ground mustard, finely diced shallots, honey or some mashed roasted garlic and chopped basil. This not only adds texture but body as well.
Another aspect to experiment on is the temperature. You can make a hot vinaigrette buy using pan juices as substitute for some of the oil. You can also heat the vinegar. This will perfectly set off a plate of pan-seared hanger steak or some roast chicken.
At the end of it all, however, you may choose to keep it simple. After all, a vinaigrette at its most basic form is often the one that tastes best.
vinaigrette and how to make
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