A bottle of olive oil, a cruet of vinegar, a dish of sea salt, a pepper grinder: This is the simple formula for a vinaigrette, a sauce so humble it often doesn’t seem like a sauce at all.
But it is. In French, it’s called “la sauce vinaigrette.” A good one transforms a bowl of salad into something extraordinary.
And it’s not just for salads. A drizzle of vinaigrette on the plate can elevate any number of dishes — grilled fish, roasted chicken, pan-seared steak, wilted greens.
As the weather heats up and diners want simpler fare, grilled outside or fresh from the market stands, a vinaigrette can be all we need or want.
It’s the simplest thing in the world to make. Just memorize this: 3-to-1. That’s the classic proportion of oil to vinegar.
Because there are so few ingredients, their quality is important. Use the best oil and vinegar you can find, good sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
You need only a whisk and a bowl. Whisk the salt and pepper into the vinegar first — salt doesn’t dissolve in oil, but it does in vinegar. Then whisk in the oil. That’s a basic sauce vinaigrette.
A classic vinaigrette is made with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Add to it mustard or shallots or herbs or spices. Vary the oil and vinegar — using walnut or hazelnut oil, balsamic or white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar.
Traditionally, the oil is drizzled in slowly, and whisked all the while to emulsify it, resulting in a creamy, smooth sauce.
Whisk a little Dijon mustard into the vinegar before the olive oil and it emulsifies even more easily. (If using an amazing olive oil, though, skip the mustard, which will cover up the nuances of the oil).
A mustardy vinaigrette is great with seared flank steak or wild salmon.
Basic vinaigrette
1/4cup red wine vinegar
1/4teaspoon sea salt
1/8teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
3/4cup extra virgin olive oil
In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, salt and pepper. When the salt has dissolved, whisk in olive oil.
Serve on salads and other dishes, whisking again just before using.
Makes 1 cup. Each tablespoon: 80 calories; 0 protein; 0 carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 9 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 36 milligrams sodium.
Pan-seared wild salmon steaks with vinaigrette
4wild salmon steaks, about 1-inch thick (6 ounces each), skin on
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2tablespoons olive oil
1/2cup vinaigrette
Season the salmon steaks with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the salmon steaks and sear until golden and caramelized on one side, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip the steaks over, and cook for 3 minutes more. Remove and blot on a paper towel.
Drizzle each steak with about 2 tablespoons of vinaigrette.
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