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sourdough discard crackers

use up that sourdough starter in something other than pancakes! this recipe is loosely based on King Arthur Flour's sourdough cracker re...

Thursday, March 07, 2013

basic balsamic vinaigrette

our everyday vinaigrette, this is made to my family's taste, mind you -- we tend to like our vinaigrette with a slightly higher proportion of balsamic vinegar than usual. I find the typical 3:1 (oil: vinegar) ratio to be nigh tasteless, but you may end up wanting more olive oil in your finished dressing. make it the way you want it -- it will still be delicious.
this takes less than 5 minutes to whip up in the blender.

  • 1 clove garlic, pressed, minced or grated on microplane
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon kosher salt (adjust to your taste -- if you use table salt, start with 1/4 teaspoon and add more to taste)
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1-3/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
preparation couldn't be easier: place all but the oil in the blender and pulse a few times to combine. add all the oil at once and blend for 30 seconds to a minute, until completely combined. decant into a clean bottle.

this amount lasts a family of four about a week... we DO eat a lot of salads.

possible variation: add chopped fresh herbs (parsley, basil, chives, etc.) to taste -- but I prefer to add them to the salad and keep the dressing simple. that way, the herbs stay crisp and fresh and bright green.