NOURISH | recipes
All Dressed Up
WORDS & RECIPES VICKI RAVLICH-HORAN | IMAGES ASHLEE DECAIRES
The classic French vinaigrette is one of the simplest sauces to make. Master the basics of making a vinaigrette and you will be armed with more than the ability to turn plain lettuce leaves into a delicious salad at a moment’s notice, you’ll begin to discover the science behind good cooking. The perfect vinaigrette is just the right balance of oil and acidity (1:2 - 1:3), perfectly seasoned with a hint of sweetness and brought together in a harmonious sauce. With very few components, a great vinaigrette relies on the quality of the ingredients. Oil - The flavour of the oil you use will affect the flavour of your dressing. When making a simple vinaigrette it’s the time to break out your favourite good quality extra virgin olive oil. I also love using a buttery avocado oil for dressings, while sesame and peanut oils are great for Asian style dressings. Acidity - This could be the traditional red wine vinegar or another, like white balsamic, rice or sherry vinegar or of course citrus juice. Remember that different vinegars will vary in acidity and thus change your ratio. Emulsifier - It’s true oil and water do not mix, that is unless emulsified. A vinaigrette is a water-in-oil emulsion which, in simple terms, means droplets of water are suspended in oil (the opposite to a mayonnaise where oil is suspended in water). To make the oil and
water mix (emulsion) you need something to act as a bond. Commercial vinaigrettes will use letchin, where a traditional French vinaigrette uses Dijon mustard. Miso and tahini are other great options. Feel free to omit an emulsifier. Your dressing will simply separate more quickly, nothing a quick shake won’t fix! Seasoning - Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper and then a dash of sweetness to balance out the fat, salt and acidity. Good old white sugar will do the trick as will honey, maple or palm sugar. Herbs (think tarragon, chives, parsley, basil…) are a great way to change up a simple dressing. Be careful not to make too much as the herbs will oxidise, lose their flavour and speed up the demise of your dressing. Test it or Regret it - Your vinaigrette is probably great but the only way to really know is to taste it in context, so before you douse your veg with it, dip a lettuce leaf in and taste.
