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.