Guess who's never spelled vinaigrette before today? In fact, now that I'm aware of its proper spelling I believe I've been saying it incorrectly as well. No wonder I don't get invited to fancy dinner parties. I'd surely be wandering about in last year's (if I'm lucky) fashions chatting up that there vinegar-ette. But no more. Now I am a changed woman. Now I will wander about in last year's (fine, it's more like 6 year's ago) fashions discussing lovely vinaigrettes--a word that rolls off the tongue in a way that is properly French. So invite me to your dinner parties, okay. I promise not to use a toothpick to pick my teeth.
Garlic Mustard Vinaigrette
adapted from The New Best Recipe
Serves: 4
Prep time: 3 minutes
Cost: 10 cents-ish
Note: Best Recipe recommends this for bitter salad greens (endive, chicory, dandelion greens, etc., but I think it works with anything)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sour cream (yogurt would probably work too)
1 1/2 tsp clear vinegar (white wine or plain old distilled or whatever, but not balsalmic or red or something like that)
1 tsp mustard (the fancier the better, but even the dull, cheap stuff words)
1/4 tsp garlic powder or 1 garlic clove, mashed into a puree
salt and pepper to taste
Place all ingredients in a jar or tightly sealed tupperware container and shake the shadingdang out of it. (You see, this is why I still will not be invited to fancy dinner parties--what I meant to say was 'shake vigorously until emulsified.') Emulsified, if you too have been missing out on the fancy dinner parties, means that it's all mixed together and the oil is no longer separate from the rest of the stuff.
Pour onto your salad. It should just coat the leaves of the lettuce rather than be thick and, you know, Ranch-dressing-y.
Any unused vinaigrette can be stored in the refrigerator. Just be sure to give it a good shake before you use it again to re-emulsify the things that have separated.
PRINTABLE RECIPE
Funny, I've been making nearly this precise recipe all week. I just made it up, essentially, but without the sour cream (which sounds quite tasty, I shall have to give it a try!) I am totally into hard-boiled-egg, feta, and crumbled bacon green salads.... YUM! This vinaigrette is perfect for that combination.
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