Vinaigrette Basics
from http://www.epicurious.com/

Also see Basic Vinaigrette Recipe, which adds Dijon mustard, honey and garlic to round out the vinegar and oil and adds flavor. You can make a vinaigrette with just oil and vinegar, and a little salt. I often just sprinkle some oil and Balsamic vinegar on my salad without even mixing them together. Adding some herbs will add flavor.

At its simplest, a vinaigrette contains an acid—either vinegar or citrus juice—salt, and oil, but the possibilities for personalizing it are infinite. Follow these steps to build the perfect vinaigrette, and then master variations using different ingredients to balance the flavors and emulsify the mixture. And remember: Vinaigrettes aren't just for salads, both green and pasta. They also make a light and brightly flavored topping for poached or grilled fish or poultry, roasted meats, and cooked or raw vegetables.

The Basics

• Start by whisking together the acid (vinegar or citrus juice) and salt in a nonreactive bowl until the salt dissolves. Continue whisking while adding the oil in a slow stream. Oil and vinegar will never emulsify into a unified mixture, but when freshly whisked or even whizzed in a blender, the two will blend together well enough to quickly drizzle over or on a bowl of greens.
• When incorporating the oil, don't add all of it at once. Stop periodically and taste the dressing; you may not need all the oil. And taste the dressing not only by itself but also on the ingredient with which it will be tossed. A dressing might taste too sharp on its own but just right on a lettuce leaf.
• Store vinaigrettes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. And be sure to taste leftover dressing before tossing it with salad ingredients: Sometimes the dressing needs a little reseasoning to keep it tasting bright and fresh.

Tips for Creating and Customizing Your Vinaigrette

Remember Your Ratios

When you know your ratio of acid to oil, you don't need a recipe. The traditional formula is 1 part acid to 3 parts oil, but this varies depending on the acid used and your personal taste. Many people prefer a 1 to 2 ratio of acid to oil.

• Vinegars range in acidity from about 4 to 7 percent. The higher the acidity, the sharper the pucker power, and the more oil you'll need to balance it. Rice vinegar is less acidic (about 4 percent) so it needs less oil than others with higher acidity. Be sure to check the label for the acid level.
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice is often used in place of vinegar, but it's slightly more acidic than some vinegars, so it may require a bit more oil. Over time, fresh lemon juice loses some of its punch, so it's best to make a small batch and use it up quickly. Many vinaigrettes include a combination of vinegar and lemon juice.

Types of Vinegars and Oils

• There are many vinegars to choose from: Red wine vinegar, white wine, apple cider, Balsamic, rice and malt vinegars to name a few.
• Specialty vinegars, such as raspberry, create different flavors.
• Olive oil and neutral vegetable oils such as soybean oil, canola oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil, peanut oil, or grape seed oil are all common.
• In northern France, vinaigrette may be made with walnut oil and cider vinegar and used for Belgian endive salad.

Balance Your Vinaigrette

• Salt is crucial, because it tempers the acid while amplifying its flavor as well as that of the olive oil. Fine sea salt and kosher salt are both recommended for their clean finish; regular table salt has added chemicals that can leave a harsh aftertaste.
• Sweeteners such as sugar, honey, molasses, maple syrup, or agave are optional, but a little can help round out the sharpness of lemon juice or more acidic vinegars. And lightly sweetened dressings usually need less oil to achieve balance—a bonus for those trying to lower their fat intake (but keep the amount small, as calorie counts go up).
• The French are fans of adding minced shallot for sweetness: For the best flavor, wilt the shallot in the acid and salt for 10 to 15 minutes before whisking in the oil.
• Another way to counteract the acid is to dilute the dressing with a few drops of water.

Emulsify Your Vinaigrette

Oil and vinegar or lemon juice naturally want to be separate, but they make magic when they're emulsified in a salad dressing. While even a whisk or blender can't force these two opposites to stay together, one or more of the following kitchen staples will help the oil and acid emulsifiy into a cohesive mixture.

• Mustard: A prepared mustard, such as Dijon, mixed with the acid will help a vinaigrette emulsify when the oil is slowly incorporated. Use a minimum of 1 teaspoon mustard for each tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice [seems like a lot, check actual recipes]; the more mustard used, the better the emulsion will be, but be aware that the dressing will also be thicker.

Egg Yolks and Whole Eggs:

• Raw egg yolks, or hard-boiled yolks that have been forced through a sieve, can be whisked into the acid before the oil is added. A classic Caesar salad uses a coddled egg, which is an egg that's been simmered in its shell for 1 minute. When incorporated into a Caesar salad, the coddled egg provides a creamy mouthfeel.
• Keep in mind that raw eggs or yolks are not recommended for infants, pregnant women, the elderly, or those with a compromised immune system—and this includes the coddled egg used to make a Caesar salad. To avoid the risk of salmonella infection, you can use a pasteurized egg or yolk. [My Caesar Dressing recipe does not use raw eggs and is delicious,]

Garlic:

• Mashed roasted garlic or fresh garlic paste (made by mashing garlic with salt in a mortar and pestle or by mincing and mashing the combination with a heavy knife) can help bring a dressing together. Garlic's flavor is best when fresh, and its pungency tends to increase a bit over time, so if you plan to keep leftovers, go easy on the fresh garlic.

Miso:

• Chefs and home cooks are coming around to the miracle of miso, a fermented soybean paste that is widely used in Japanese and Korean cuisines. Miso adds depth and body to any kind of dressing, but it can be salty, so hold off on adding salt until you've tasted the dressing.

Additional emulsifiers include purchased anchovy paste, honey, and molasses.

Invigorate Your Vinaigrette

One of the simplest ways to change or enhance the flavor profile of a basic vinaigrette is to use different oils or acids, such as the ones included in our ingredient guide. But the options hardly stop there.

• Add briny elements such as capers, olives, dill pickles, or cornichons (French sour gherkins). Even the brine they're packed in can add a welcome hit of flavor.
• Use anchovies to add depth to dressing. Start slow and use just enough to let the anchovy work its magic without overpowering the dressing. Anchovy paste is much easier to use than canned fillets.
• Season with spices such as freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika, or toasted and coarsely crushed cumin seed, fennel seed, or coriander seed.
• Incorporate fresh flavor-boosters including chopped tomato, grated onion, or finely grated fresh ginger—you can also use any juice squeezed from these. The Japanese restaurant favorite, carrot ginger dressing, is basically a vinaigrette puréed in the blender with lots of carrot and ginger.
• Stir in one or more chopped fresh herbs. Tarragon and thyme are good on their own, while mint and basil pair well. Cilantro is surprisingly wonderful with dill. And chives and parsley go well with any herb.
• Bump up a lemon-juice-based vinaigrette by adding fresh citrus zest, which packs an intense zap of citrus flavor.
• Incorporate grated or crumbled cheese, such as Parmesan, feta, or blue cheese. Use a whisk if you prefer a chunkier texture or a blender for a smooth one.
• Season your dressing with condiments such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, or steak sauce.
• Use rendered bacon fat in place of oil to add a wonderful smoky, savory quality to salads, such as in the classic hot German potato salad. It's also delicious with other cooked vegetables or drizzled over broiled or grilled seafood. Whatever foods the dressing is going on need to be warm or at room temperature, though, so that the bacon fat doesn't cool off and solidify.