This classic salad dressing could not be easier. Really.
I know people that hear or read the word vinaigrette and panic. They say that they cannot make French food; French cuisine is just too difficult. Yes, some French food is incredibly detailed and time consuming. Some recipes take days to prepare. This recipe is not one of them.
Don’t be tempted to skip the mustard. Dijon Mustard is traditional only partly for flavor. The important role that the mustard plays here is in the emulsification process. Vinegar and Oil do not play well together, the mustard is the playground monitor; without it all you will have is a bowl of oil with some vinegar, shallots and chives floating on top. Be sure to get Dijon Mustard for this, it doesn’t have to be super expensive for this, store brand will usually do. Bright yellow American Mustard will emulsify your dressing, but it will taste awful (trust me, I have done it. It was bad).
Just a quick note on properly dressing a salad: with this dressing (as with all dressings) it is important not to overdress your salad. The typical way to dress a salad with vinaigrette is to make the dressing in the salad bowl and then to cross your salad serving utensils in the bowl, above the dressing; the salad greens are placed on the crossed salad forks. At dinner time, the salad forks are taken out from under the greens, which fall into the dressing and are tossed, leaving any excess dressing in the bottom of the bowl (the host/hostess gets to snack on that excess dressing in the bottom of the bowl with the leftover bread while they are cleaning up).
This recipe makes an amount of dressing that is too large for the traditional method of dressing a salad, unless you are making a very large salad, so unless you are making a salad for 6-8 people, add one or two tablespoons of dressing per serving of greens, depending on your taste. One tablespoon is enough for me, but other folks may like more dressing.
Any of you that enjoy cooking have seen versions of this dressing made on TV, and they all put the salt in the oil. Here’s the thing-salt does not dissolve in oil (that is why Priests used carry anointing oil in little containers of salt; in the oil the salt does not dissolve and in the salt the oil does not leak). Mix the initial salt with the vinegar, you may season again once the dressing is complete if you need to.
Classic French Vinaigrette
2 tbsp red wine or sherry vinegar
¼ tsp salt
1 small shallot, peeled and minced
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 sprigs chives, minced
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Combine the vinegar and salt in a glass (or other non-reactive) bowl and whisk until the salt has completely dissolved.
Add the shallot and Dijon mustard, whisk to combine. Drizzle in the oil in a slow, steady stream (a squeeze bottle works well for this) while constantly whisking. Continue whisking until combined and the dressing thickens to your desired texture.
Add the black pepper, chive and whisk to combine.
Taste with a piece of the greens you wish to dress. Adjust last and pepper if needed
Transfer into a Mason jar or other glass container with a lid and let sit for 1 hour at room temperature before serving. Store in the refrigerator but bring to room temperature before using.
