Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free/Nut-Free/Vegan

Skill Level: Beginner

Yield: About 3/4 cup of dressing

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Equipment Needed:

• Chef's knife

• Cutting board

• 1/2 pint mason jar with leak-proof lid OR small mixing bowl and small whisk

The Recipe:

This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Samin Nosrat

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon minced shallot

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:

1. In a small bowl or 1/2 pint mason jar, add the minced shallot, balsamic vinegar, and red wine vinegar.

2. Allow this mixture to sit for 15 minutes so the shallots can macerate. Macerating simply means to allow a food, such as onions or shallots, to mellow out in an acid (lemon juice, vinegar, etc.) to take away a little bit of their bite.

3. Add the olive oil and a generous pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. If using a mason jar, put on a leak-proof cap and shake vigorously to combine. If using a bowl, whisk vigorously to combine.

4. Using a salad leaf from the salad you intend to serve it on, dip a leaf into the vinaigrette and taste. Adjust with more salt and pepper as desired.

5. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To Serve: I love this vinaigrette on a beet salad in particular, but really I think a balsamic vinaigrette can find a home on any salad.

Tips:

• This dressing could easily be made as a red wine vinaigrette by simply omitting the balsamic vinegar and using 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar.

• I love making and storing salad dressings in mason jars! I got leak-proof jar lids on Amazon.

The Story:

Salad dressings are so interesting to me. They could potentially be so important to a dish, but I feel like more often than not a person will buy a store-bought dressing over making their own, which they would have creative control over.

Minced shallot

I am an absolute sucker for a good vinaigrette. I'll admit, in an effort to time-save as a busy mom I have tried out a few store-bought vinaigrettes. Unfortunately, I have yet to meet one that I can get on board with.

Shallots macerating in the red wine and balsamic vinegars

I found this simple formula for a vinaigrette a while back, and MAN is it a game-changer. SO. EASY. And I always have all of these ingredients on hand.

A friend recently shared a reel with me that showed all kinds of different people adding "a pinch of salt." I hadn't ever really considered this before, but a "pinch of salt" truly means something different to everyone! I'm super particular about what salt I use; Diamond Kosher salt is it for me and I can only find it on Amazon, which is fine. I keep a carton of it by my stove to salt my pasta water, as well as a crock of it by my prep area for everything else. A "pinch of salt" to me means what is shown in the photo above: 3 fingers and a pretty hefty "pinch." When I add salt to this vinaigrette, I start with 3 of these types of pinches and go from there; however I don't recommend doing that with just any salt. Chefs say that due to the shape of Diamond Kosher salt crystals, it is a more forgiving salt than most. My recommendation is to get to know your salt (heeyyy...how you doin'...) and remember to always start small because you can always add, but you can't take away.

Post-shaking

With salad dressings, it's really important to remember to taste your dressing using something you intend to eat it with as your tasting spoon...so if I'm using this vinaigrette to dress a salad using spring mix, I will pluck one of the greens out and dip it right into the vinaigrette for a taste. If it tastes bland, I'll add salt and/or pepper, flat and I'll add a little more vinegar. Too sharp and I'll add a touch more olive oil. The more you experiment, the more you will figure out what is right and what isn't.

Happy tasting!