Every French family makes vinaigrette. The basic recipe is always the same: 1 volume vinegar, 2 parts extra virgin olive oil, some Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. From there, you can try to create variations if you want (by adding garlic, herbs, shallots, lemon juice, etc.). Here is my recipe:
Family-size recipe:
Get an empty quart jar.
Fill it one third with VINEGAR. I use Braggs Apple Cider vinegar because it is delicious and super healthy (from the health food store).
Add one rounded teaspoon SEA SALT and two rounded teaspoons LECITHIN GRANULES (optional, from the health food store. It is a natural emulsifier and gives the vinaigrette a nice creamy texture). Add one or two rounded tablespoons DIJON MUSTARD.
Leaving one inch of space at the top of the jar, fill the jar with EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL.
Secure lid and shake.
Over the course of the next few hours, the lecithin granules will dissolve and make the dressing creamy. It is nevertheless perfectly okay to eat the dressing before this happens.
The dressing will keep for many days in this jar, if you store it in a dark place (such as a cupboard). Refrigeration is undesirable.
Smaller jar recipe:
Use 1 part vinegar and 2 parts oil. Use only a pinch of salt, a pinch of lecithin and a teaspoon Dijon.
NOTE: do not even dream of skimping on the quality of your ingredients! Oil MUST be EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL and vinegar must be either cider, wine or champagne vinegar. Salt must be sea salt, not that awful cheap byproduct of mining called table salt. Skimping on ingredient quality will result in a mediocre vinaigrette.
