just a few simple ingredients - oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, herbs, spices, but very consistent - I never had a bad vinaigrette anywhere from small cafes to bistros to more expensive restaurants. I make a few decent vinaigrettes, but nothing like I had in France (or maybe things just tasted better there smileys/smile.gif. I know it's all in the balance - I don't like them too oily or too vinegary, somewhere in between. Anyone have some good recipes?
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What are your favorite salad vinaigrettes? The best ones I ever had were in Paris. Nothing fancy,
- Thread starter meryl
- Start date
My favorite is to take a scraped-out jar of Dijon mustard. (I know you don't have a Trader Joe's,
and I feel your pain, but their mustard is identical to Maille; use anything but Grey Poupon). Add vinegar, salt, pepper, and any dried herb that stikes your fancy. Put on the lid and shake it up until smooth. Add about 3 times as much oil as you added vinegar and shake again. Use the best oil and vinegar you have, and season well.
In Paris I think they often add cream, which helps emulsify it. Lemon juice can be subbed for the vinegar. In the South they seem to use more herbs. If the herbs are fresh, I think it's best to add them to the salad and not to the vinaigrette.
and I feel your pain, but their mustard is identical to Maille; use anything but Grey Poupon). Add vinegar, salt, pepper, and any dried herb that stikes your fancy. Put on the lid and shake it up until smooth. Add about 3 times as much oil as you added vinegar and shake again. Use the best oil and vinegar you have, and season well.
In Paris I think they often add cream, which helps emulsify it. Lemon juice can be subbed for the vinegar. In the South they seem to use more herbs. If the herbs are fresh, I think it's best to add them to the salad and not to the vinaigrette.
Maybe I'm a mustard snob, but I think GP gives Dijon mustard a bad name. It's not from Dijon,
(it's American-made), and it's just plain sour. Any brand that actually comes from Dijon, France will be better, and perhaps less expensive. I thought I hated Dijon mustard until I tasted the real thing. There are probably a few other American brands that are better too.
I loved the old "Have you got any Grey Poupon?" in-the-limousine commercial, but their mustard doesn't cut the mustard.
(it's American-made), and it's just plain sour. Any brand that actually comes from Dijon, France will be better, and perhaps less expensive. I thought I hated Dijon mustard until I tasted the real thing. There are probably a few other American brands that are better too.
I loved the old "Have you got any Grey Poupon?" in-the-limousine commercial, but their mustard doesn't cut the mustard.
I tried Maille a long time ago, but wasn't wild about it - don't remember why. Have you ever
tried Roland?
http://www.rolandfood.com/details.cfm?sku=70310
tried Roland?
http://www.rolandfood.com/details.cfm?sku=70310
No I haven't, but I'm already sure it's better than GP. On my first trip to France I went crazy for
Maille (I think it's hotter over there, and it didn't hurt that I was tasting it with my first Choucrout Garni), and I bought about a dozen jars and hauled them back in my carry-on. When I got home some friends laughed at me because they insisted the $1.99 jar from TJ's was the exact same thing. I didn't want to believe them, but I agreed to a blind taste test, which I failed.
Maille (I think it's hotter over there, and it didn't hurt that I was tasting it with my first Choucrout Garni), and I bought about a dozen jars and hauled them back in my carry-on. When I got home some friends laughed at me because they insisted the $1.99 jar from TJ's was the exact same thing. I didn't want to believe them, but I agreed to a blind taste test, which I failed.
Yes, you are a cruel and mercilous man, Joe. I can just see you gloating all the way out in CA! smileys/smile.gif
However, you can only gloat partway, because two very kind FK people have already sent me care packages from TJ's, including their Belgian chocolate silver 3-packs, Swiss chocolate 71%, and Chocovic Guaranda. They've also offered to send me the Pound Plus if I want it. So there, you sadist!
However, you can only gloat partway, because two very kind FK people have already sent me care packages from TJ's, including their Belgian chocolate silver 3-packs, Swiss chocolate 71%, and Chocovic Guaranda. They've also offered to send me the Pound Plus if I want it. So there, you sadist!
W
whipappeal
Guest
Made one last night which was quite good >>
Smash a clove of garlic, chop, and mix in a pinch of salt.
Scrape the garlic-salt into an empty salad bowl.
Grind in fresh pepper.
Add a couple of pinches of herbes de provence.
Add a couple of glugs of olive oil.
Add a tsp. of mustard.
Add one-two glugs of balsamic vinegar.
Drizzle in some honey.
Stir around the bottom of the salad bowl with a wooden spoon.
Taste and adjust...
Add salad and mix to coat the leaves.
This is esp. good on arugula with figs, prosciutto, walnuts, and parmesan shavings. smileys/smile.gif
Sorry for the lack of measurements...
Smash a clove of garlic, chop, and mix in a pinch of salt.
Scrape the garlic-salt into an empty salad bowl.
Grind in fresh pepper.
Add a couple of pinches of herbes de provence.
Add a couple of glugs of olive oil.
Add a tsp. of mustard.
Add one-two glugs of balsamic vinegar.
Drizzle in some honey.
Stir around the bottom of the salad bowl with a wooden spoon.
Taste and adjust...
Add salad and mix to coat the leaves.
This is esp. good on arugula with figs, prosciutto, walnuts, and parmesan shavings. smileys/smile.gif
Sorry for the lack of measurements...
This Panzanella recipe has the best vinaigrette, champagne vinegar makes it!
The salad is really good too!
Panzanella Salad
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.
For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.
In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.
Panzanella Copyright 2001, Barefoot Contessa Parties!, All Rights Reserved
The salad is really good too!
Panzanella Salad
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 small French bread or boule, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large, ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 red onion, cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
20 large basil leaves, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons capers, drained
For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large saute pan. Add the bread and salt; cook over low to medium heat, tossing frequently, for 10 minutes, or until nicely browned. Add more oil as needed.
For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients together.
In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, yellow pepper, red onion, basil, and capers. Add the bread cubes and toss with the vinaigrette. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Serve, or allow the salad to sit for about half an hour for the flavors to blend.
Panzanella Copyright 2001, Barefoot Contessa Parties!, All Rights Reserved
And BTW, I always also have a jar of the Maille grainy around. I find it so useful in sauces & for
the occasional vinaigrette.
Fauchon (if you can find it here) bottles a very good raspberry vinaigrette, which is fun to add sometimes.
I think the critical thing is the good quality ingredients to start with. Although I firmly believe that EVERYthing tastes better in Paris, using oils and vinegars that we like (I generally don't like the EVOOs unless they are really special) and tasting as we whisk, is, I believe, the real key to enjoying what we whisk.
When I am making the Tuscan Steak and Arugula, I use a very good, very delicious Bilippo EVOO, that H and I both agree, just makes the whole dish.
But generally, I use regular Bertolli or Frantoia, some small private brands available locally, add some MAILLE mustard, almost always diced shallots, some noisette oil along with vinegars such as champagne, pear, raspberry, balsamic, sherry,,,and so on. Sometimes herbs if they're fresh from the garden. But I think just tasting as I go along, is what works for me as I just eyeball it.
I'm really getting hooked on salads now.
Oh, another thing is that I like to make it a few hours ahead so that the shallots flavour the oil more thoroughly. And sometimes, I don't use all the shallots and keep them in a bit of the vinagrette to strart the next day's with.
I just bought a bag of frozen raspberries to start experimenting with in vinaigrette.
the occasional vinaigrette.
Fauchon (if you can find it here) bottles a very good raspberry vinaigrette, which is fun to add sometimes.
I think the critical thing is the good quality ingredients to start with. Although I firmly believe that EVERYthing tastes better in Paris, using oils and vinegars that we like (I generally don't like the EVOOs unless they are really special) and tasting as we whisk, is, I believe, the real key to enjoying what we whisk.
When I am making the Tuscan Steak and Arugula, I use a very good, very delicious Bilippo EVOO, that H and I both agree, just makes the whole dish.
But generally, I use regular Bertolli or Frantoia, some small private brands available locally, add some MAILLE mustard, almost always diced shallots, some noisette oil along with vinegars such as champagne, pear, raspberry, balsamic, sherry,,,and so on. Sometimes herbs if they're fresh from the garden. But I think just tasting as I go along, is what works for me as I just eyeball it.
I'm really getting hooked on salads now.
Oh, another thing is that I like to make it a few hours ahead so that the shallots flavour the oil more thoroughly. And sometimes, I don't use all the shallots and keep them in a bit of the vinagrette to strart the next day's with.
I just bought a bag of frozen raspberries to start experimenting with in vinaigrette.