The
Cooking Club of
America has suggestions for making the perfect vinaigrette, as conveyed in
their April e-mail newsletter:
The classic vinaigrette is
three parts oil to one part vinegar, seasoned with salt and pepper, and
perhaps some fresh herbs and a pinch of mustard. Choose good-quality oil and a
wine-, fruit- or rice-based vinegar. Don't use plain white vinegar for
vinaigrette; its flavor is too harsh. If you're using sweeter vinegar, such as
balsamic or raspberry, the vinegar proportion can be a little higher.
If using mustard, whisk it
into the vinegar before adding the oil. This helps keep everything in
suspension, and mustard adds a nice zip to the finished vinaigrette. Whisk the
salt in before adding the oil, also, because it dissolves better. Add pepper
and any herbs.
Slowly drizzle the oil
into the vinegar as you whisk the mixture.
Before tossing the salad,
check the seasonings by dipping a lettuce leaf into the vinaigrette and
tasting it. If the vinaigrette isn't flavorful enough, add more seasonings; if
it's too strong, add more oil.
All ingredients should be
as dry as possible before being tossed with the vinaigrette. If not, any
clinging droplets of water will prevent the vinaigrette from sticking to the
salad, causing the vinaigrette to pool at the bottom of the bowl.
Once you've mastered the
basic vinaigrette, the fun begins. Experiment with the myriad flavored
vinegars and oils on the market to invent your own combinations. Certain herbs
complement greens and vegetables particularly well. Start by adding dill,
tarragon and/or chives to create classic vinaigrette. From there, branch out
to basil, mint or other herbs, such as lovage, which has a pronounced celery
flavor. Blue cheese or hard cheeses, such as Parmesan, Romano or Asiago, make
excellent additions.
This year I let my
membership with the
Cooking Club of America slide; there wasn’t much to it except for “special
offers” on outrageously priced cookbooks and a few trinkets here and there
(blank recipe cards, fridge magnets). However, their e-mail newsletter continues
to have useful information.