Most French supermarkets offer a good selection of vinaigrettes, and while these have their uses (try one as a marinade for meat or vegetables before grilling), nothing beats a homemade dressing.
Plus, some of the world’s best oils and vinegars are made in France, not to mention Dijon mustard, which is practically essential, so making your own is worthwhile.
As the name implies, vinegar is key. You can make a salad dressing with lemon juice instead of vinegar, but then it’s no longer a vinaigrette.
Vinegar
For a French vinaigrette, choose good-quality vinegar that’s not too acidic – never use malt vinegar. Colour matters less than flavour, so white wine or red wine vinegars are virtually interchangeable, depending on personal preference. Sherry vinegar is a classic, as are cider vinegars.
Flavoured vinegars can be excellent, but consider the taste of the finished dish: tarragon vinegar works well with potato salad, while fruit-infused vinegars like raspberry pair beautifully with beetroot.
Vinaigre au noix (walnut vinegar) is a favourite for salads because, unlike its oily counterpart, it doesn’t go rancid as quickly, though it should still be used sparingly – no more than a teaspoon or two alongside a more neutral vinegar.
Artisan vinegar makers in France are experiencing a renaissance, and it’s not difficult to find vinegars by grape variety, like wines, as well as vinegars made from sweet wine or flavoured with honey, aromatics like lemon and thyme, fruits such as cherries, or spices like piment d’Espelette.
Think beyond olive oil. Good extra virgin olive oil is costly and best used where tangy vinegar or punchy mustard won’t drown out its essence.
Quality olive oil certainly has its place in vinaigrette, and if you want the flavour to shine through, choose a milder vinegar and go easy on the mustard or omit it altogether.
While France produces stellar artisan olive oils, it’s also a sunflower oil-producing country. Cold-pressed sunflower oil made in small batches has a delicate nutty flavour perfect for vinaigrette.
Nut oils – walnut and hazelnut in particular – are stunning French products, but buy them in small, dark bottles as they need protection from light and go rancid quickly.
Artisan rapeseed oil (colza) has a light flavour perfect for dressings, as do grapeseed and flaxseed oils (huile de lin). For everyday use, good quality supermarket oil, single or blended, works perfectly for vinaigrette as the flavour won’t compete with other ingredients.
Dijon mustard is absolutely the only kind to use for vinaigrette. Like vinegar and oil, artisan mustards abound in France, both plain and flavoured, fine and coarse-grain. What matters for mustard destined for the salad bowl is that it should be room temperature when you prepare your dressing.
For this reason, I keep my mustard on the counter next to the oil and vinegar, and I buy it in small jars because, once opened, the taste diminishes.
Temperature matters because a vinaigrette with mustard is an emulsified sauce, like mayonnaise, and in an emulsion, thickening is more difficult – or won’t occur – if the components aren’t all at the same temperature.
How to make vinaigrette
Laura Washburn Hutton
The traditional formula is one part vinegar to three parts oil, plus salt, pepper, and maybe mustard.
For example, one tablespoon of vinegar and three tablespoons of oil.
To increase the amount for a bigger salad or to make a larger batch for storing, use more ingredients but maintain the ratios: 100ml vinegar to 300ml oil.
If using a strong-flavoured oil like walnut, mix it with a more neutral oil so the taste isn’t overwhelming – for example, one part walnut oil plus two parts neutral oil like rapeseed.
The same applies to vinegar, though this is easier to manage when making larger batches. Use 50ml walnut vinegar with 50ml wine vinegar for a dressing with 300ml oil.
To prepare a mustardy vinaigrette for a salad serving 4-6, mix directly in the salad bowl. Start with one tablespoon of vinegar, 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard, and a good pinch of fine salt. Mix well with a fork until fully blended.
Always add salt with vinegar to ensure it dissolves. Adding one tablespoon at a time, stir vigorously and drizzle in three tablespoons of oil to obtain a thick mixture. Season with pepper to taste.
