Classic red wine vinaigrette

Classic red wine vinaigrette is a dressing that you can easily make at home and keep in the fridge for several days. Red wine vinaigrette is the perfect complement to an every day healthy garden salad. It is versatile and will go great with almost any kind of additional protein added to your salad.

Red wine vinaigrette is a classic

Red wine vinaigrette can also be dressed with fragrant fresh herbs you have in the garden for a slightly different flavor or twist depending on your mood. My favorite herbs to play with in this dressing are thyme, tarragon, oregano, chives, garlic or basil. A great rule of thumb is to choose one herb to complement your dish. Herbs should be subtle and enhance the flavor of your main ingredient rather than over power it.

How to make your own vinaigrette

Making your own basic salad dressing is so easy, you’ll wonder why you’d spend all that money on pre-made dressings full of sugar and preservatives. This is the basic formula for making about 1/4 cup of vinaigrette.

3:1 ratio (1/4 cup)

1. 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (the acid, this can also be white wine vinegar or lemon juice)

2. 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3. 1 pinch salt and pepper

Delicious on just about any kind of salad

What kind of olive oil should I use for vinaigrette?

For homemade vinaigrette, always use a high-quality extra virgin olive oil. I look for olive oils that are moderately to more expensive and in a darker colored bottle. Olive oil should be stored in dark cool conditions. Similar to wine, olive oil will impart the flavors and fragrance of the environment from which the olives are grown. Some are more peppery or bitter or green tasting than others. Of course my favorites include olive oils from Italy and Portugal, but California also grows and produces wonderful olive oils as well.

Use high quality extra virgin olive oil in this vinaigrette

Red wine vinaigrette

Classic red wine vinaigrette for healthy everyday salads.

1. 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

2. 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

3. 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

4. 2 tsp sugar

5. 1 tsp sea salt

6. fresh ground black pepper (to taste)

7. 2-3 tsp fresh herb of choice (optional)

8. Combine all the ingredients into a medium sized bowl and whisk until it is emulsified. Stir in fresh herbs as desired. Store in the fridge up to 3 days.

My favorite herbs to play with in this dressing are thyme, tarragon, oregano, chives, garlic or basil. A great rule of thumb is to choose one to complement your dish. Herbs should be subtle and enhance the flavor of your main ingredient rather than over power it. Dried herbs are typically 3 times more potent than fresh. If substituting dried herbs for fresh, use 1 tsp. This recipe yields about 1/2 cup of red wine vinaigrette.

Source: northwestspoon.com

#redwine #saladdressing #vinaigrette