Balsamic Vinaigrette

Yields 1 Cup

I like many types of salad dressings, especially ones which are light, not overwhelming the flavors of the greens. A common ratio of oil to vinegar in vinaigrettes is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. This has always been too “oily” and heavy for me.

My mother had a wonderful, light and subtle combination of oil and vinegar. Every attempt was made to get her secret (not that she did not want to reveal it), but it was always a pinch of this and approximately that. The best ingredient was “Oh, maybe I added some sugar, I don’t remember.”

(Now that I'm all grown up, I think I'm bold enough to say that I prefer my combination a little more than hers.)

Well, she did put sugar into her dressing. I like the dark brown, so that is my twist and preference. As I am writing this, the next time I make it I will experiment with molasses. I’m obsessed with molasses – I just like the flavor. Try a slight icing application on navel oranges, grapefruit or fresh, warm peaches. Oh, my!

I work a lot with the apple cider vinegars, because I’m always after a bit of sweetness. Real red or white wine is my preference vs. the wine vinegars. I think the flavor quality of adding a wine directly is always apparent.

Currently I'm experimenting with Wasabi in many sides and dips. I find that a little “bite” is refreshing. Talk about refreshing...while making this vinaigrette, Malaguena came to mind. This is an interesting and body-moving, exciting interpretation.



Guten Appetit...!

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon basil
• ¼ teaspoon Dijon or Wasabi mustard
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon sugar (dark brown optional)
• 2 tblsp red wine (cabernet - oh, hell, let it slip…add a little more)
• Salad greens of choice

Preparation

• Combine all ingredients and shake until well mixed and dissolved.
• Serve over salad of choice

Servings

Make sure you serve this cold and fresh.

Laß es Dir schmecken...!