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Vinaigrette

From here grow all other vinaigrettes. Use your instincts to vary the basic recipe. My everyday dressing almost always includes a bit of mustard which helps emulsify the dressing while adding tang.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    5 minutes

  • Yield

    Makes 3/4 cup

Ingredients

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons good wine vinegar, or more to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large shallot (about 1 ounce), cut into chunks (optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine all the ingredients except the shallot in a blender and turn the machine on; a creamy emulsion will form within 30 seconds. Taste and add more vinegar a teaspoon or two at a time until the balance tastes right to you.

    Step 2

    Add the shallot and turn the machine on and off a few times until the shallot is minced within the dressing. Taste, adjust the seasoning , and serve. (This is best made fresh but will keep, refrigerated, for a few days; bring it back to room temperature and whisk briefly before using.)

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Text excerpted from How To Cook Everything Vegetarian © 2007 by Mark Bittman. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon.
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