Last week I invited 3 friends over for dinner at my house .
Of course, I had made a nice salad, with my homemade vinaigrette.
At the end of the evening, all 3 raved about my dressing.
So I thought it's high time I shared my homemade vinaigrette recipe with you!
And if you're like me, your calorie counter explodes every time you have a big meal with friends :-)
With this delicious vinaigrette, you will be able to stuff yourself with delicious salads between all those big, calorie-packed meals.
I've been making my own salad dressings for years. And this recipe is my favorite.
I've been making it every week for 7 years. To store it, I use a jam jar.
It was my husband who gave me the idea to prepare my homemade vinaigrette. He and my friends find it much better than store-bought dressings.
This recipe is by far our favorite, and it is very easy to prepare ! I hope you too will try it :-)
To prepare this homemade vinaigrette, there are 3 tips to follow :
The first tip is to use white balsamic vinegar .
This vinegar, made from white grapes, has the advantage of being sweet and mellow .
And I reassure you right away:this vinegar is not too expensive. I recommend this 100% organic white balsamic vinegar.
Note: Most salad dressing recipes call for 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.
Personally, I prefer my vinaigrette with a more pronounced taste of vinegar:so, I put oil and vinegar in equal parts .
But if you prefer less vinegar, adjust the recipe so that it has a less pronounced taste.
The 2nd tip for making a delicious vinaigrette is to use fine Dijon mustard.
Mustard is a binder between oil and vinegar (they don't mix well if you don't use a binder).
I always use classic Dijon mustard in my dressing unless I find a herb or spice mustard.
For example, tarragon mustard is a great variation for this dressing recipe.
Moreover, do not hesitate to add herbs and spices of your choice to enhance the taste of the vinaigrette.
Try adding one of your favorite herbs. For example:thyme, tarragon, basil, dill, chives or oregano.
Choose your own blend of herbs, then chop them finely. For quantity, you need 1 or 2 tablespoons of herbs.
The 3rd secret is to add a shallot . The shallot is a variety of garlic, a cousin of the onion.
In my opinion, the shallot is unknown and is not used enough in cooking!
If you have never bought one, the shallot is in the same department as the garlic.
Small tip for slicing it: cut small horizontal and vertical slices in the shallot before chopping it (as in the photo).
For 6 to 8 people:
- 6 cl of white balsamic vinegar (about 4 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons fine Dijon mustard
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 pinches of fresh pepper, ground
- 6 cl of olive oil (about 4 tablespoons)
1. In a glass jar, put the vinegar, mustard, shallot, salt and pepper.
2. Close the lid securely.
3. Shake vigorously.
4. Add the olive oil.
5. Shake again.
There you go, your delicious homemade vinaigrette is ready :-)
Add the dressing to a salad to enjoy. Bon appetit!
And you ? How do you prepare your vinaigrette? Share your recipes with us in the comments:we can't wait to hear from you! :-)
