French vinaigrette

Name: French vinaigrette
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: About 150 ml
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 1 small shallot, very finely chopped; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 0.5 tsp salt; 2 tsp Dijon mustard; 90 ml olive oil, or half olive oil and half sunflower oil; black pepper, freshly ground, to taste

15 min
Prep 5 min
Cook 0 min
About 150 ml
easy

Start cooking

A classic three to one dressing of oil and red wine vinegar, emulsified with Dijon mustard and seasoned with finely chopped shallot.

Method

1
Put the shallot in a small bowl with the vinegar and salt and stir until the salt dissolves.
2
Leave to stand so the shallot softens and loses its harsh bite.
3
Whisk in the mustard until smooth.
4
Add the oil in a slow trickle, whisking constantly, until the dressing turns thick and creamy.
5
Season with pepper, then dip a lettuce leaf in to taste and add a little more salt or vinegar if needed.
6
Whisk or shake again just before dressing the salad.

Notes

Salt dissolves in vinegar but not in oil, so always add it to the vinegar first.
Mustard is what holds the oil and vinegar together. The dressing will separate on standing, so whisk or shake it again before use.
It keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to a week. Olive oil firms up when cold, so let it come to room temperature first.

Equipment

Small bowl, Small whisk or fork, Jar with a lid for storing

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