A bottle of olive oil, a cruet of vinegar, a dish of sea salt, a pepper grinder.
This is the simple formula for a vinaigrette, a sauce so humble that it often doesn’t seem like a sauce at all.
But it is: In French, it’s called “la sauce vinaigrette.” A good one transforms a bowl of salad into something extraordinary.
And it’s not just for salads. A drizzle of vinaigrette on the plate can elevate any number of dishes – grilled fish or roasted chicken, pan-seared steak or wilted greens.
It’s the simplest thing in the world to make. Just memorize this: 3-to-1. That’s the classic proportion of oil to vinegar.
Because there are so few ingredients, their quality is important.
Use the best oil and vinegar you can find, good sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
The only equipment necessary is a whisk and a bowl. Whisk the salt and pepper into the vinegar first – salt doesn’t dissolve in oil, but it does in vinegar. Then whisk in the oil. That’s a basic sauce vinaigrette.
A classic vinaigrette is made with red wine vinegar and olive oil. With a few key ingredients and a whisk, you can make an almost endless array of vinaigrettes. Here’s a sampling of variations on a standard vinaigrette recipe:
Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette: Replace red wine vinegar with white wine vinegar, and whisk in 1 tablespoon each of honey and stone-ground or Dijon mustard before adding olive oil. A beautiful accompaniment to grilled steak or salmon.
Cilantro-Basil Vinaigrette: Replace red wine vinegar with white balsamic vinegar and mix in a few tablespoons of minced fresh cilantro and basil before adding olive oil.
Citrus Vinaigrette: Replace vinegar with freshly squeezed lemon or lime (or other citrus) juice. Taste for seasoning – depending on how acidic the citrus is, add more oil to balance the tartness. Great with grilled fish or avocado salad.
Warm Cider Vinaigrette: Simmer 1/2 cup of cider vinegar, some chopped shallots, salt and pepper until reduced to 1/3 cup. Remove from heat and whisk in 2/3 cup oil. Serve over dandelions or other slightly bitter greens, bacon strips and warm goat cheese.
Sherry-Walnut Vinaigrette: Replace red wine vinegar with sherry vinegar; whisk in walnut oil instead of olive oil.
Champagne-Hazelnut Vinaigrette: Replace red wine vinegar with Champagne vinegar and whisk in hazelnut oil. Terrific with a salad of baby spinach, sliced strawberries and a handful of crushed, toasted hazelnuts.
Jalapeño-Lime-Cilantro Vinaigrette: Replace red wine vinegar with equal parts white wine vinegar and lime juice. In a food processor or blender, blend the vinegar, lime juice, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro and half a seeded jalapeño. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil.
Anchovy Vinaigrette: In a food processor or blender, process 2 or 3 anchovy fillets and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard with red wine vinegar, then slowly pour the olive oil in with the motor running. This is great on steamed asparagus, poached leeks or romaine salad.
Parsley Vinaigrette for Roasted Meat or Chicken: After you’ve roasted or pan-seared meat or chicken, blend 3 tablespoons of the hot pan juices in a food processor or blender with salt, pepper, red wine vinegar and 2 tablespoons fresh parsley; slowly pour in 2 tablespoons olive oil with the motor running.
Garlic Vinaigrette: In a mortar and pestle or using the flat side of a knife, mash together 1 large clove of garlic with the salt, then add the mixture to the vinegar and pepper before whisking in the olive oil. Or add 1 tablespoon of roasted garlic instead. Terrific with grilled steak or lamb chops.
Ginger-Sesame Vinaigrette: Replace red wine vinegar with rice wine vinegar, stir in 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger and whisk in a mixture of 1 part toasted sesame oil and 3 parts canola oil.
RECIPES
Salmon Steaks With Chive Vinaigrette
Serves 4.
Ingredients
4 wild salmon steaks, about 1-inch thick (6 ounces each), skin on
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chive vinaigrette
Directions
Season salmon steaks with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. When hot, add salmon steaks and sear until golden and caramelized on one side, about 3 minutes.
Carefully flip the steaks over, and cook for 3 minutes more. Remove and blot on a paper towel.
Drizzle each steak with about 2 tablespoons of chive vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
Each serving: 428 calories; 34 grams protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 31 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 80 milligrams cholesterol; 159 milligrams sodium.
Chive Vinaigrette
Use a pair of kitchen shears to snip the chives. This vinaigrette can be made a few hours ahead of time; the additional time will allow the flavors to blend, the shallots to mellow, and the color to deepen slightly. Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 tablespoons finely cut chives
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3/4 cup best-quality olive oil
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallots, chives, salt and pepper. When the salt has dissolved, whisk in the olive oil.
Each tablespoon: 84 calories; 0 protein; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 38 milligrams sodium.
Basic Vinaigrette
To make a basic vinaigrette, use the best quality ingredients possible. You can adjust the amount you want to make, but keep the proportions the same. Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, salt and pepper. When the salt has dissolved, whisk in olive oil. Serve on salads and other dishes, whisking again just before using.
Each tablespoon: 80 calories; 0 protein; 0 carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 36 milligrams sodium.
