Whisking the vinaigrette
Dressing It Up Simply
Anywhere you go, the basic ingredients behind the vinaigrette salad dressing is something acidic, and an oil. Some of the most popular acids used in vinaigrette are vinegar and citrus juice, mixed with olive, nut, or neutral flavored oils.
In preparing the dressing, all you have to do is to briskly whisk the oil and vinegar together in order for their flavors to mesh together. When your dressings are not emulsified, the mixture of the oil and vinegar always separate afterwards, which is why whisking the ingredients before using them is always a good idea. If you want to keep the two substances together, an emulsifier is needed. Some of the most common emulsifiers being used are Dijon mustard. For a successful emulsion, the trick is to mix the emulsifier and the acid together before gradually whisking in the oil. Adding the oil too quickly will only result in the separation of the two ingredients – or a kitchen “break”. Similarly, adding the mustard to an acid oil mixture will only result in the clumping of the mustard.
One of the best tricks in whisking involves the use of a kitchen towel. This simple yet effective method helps the process of whisking. If your bowl is jostling around, take a kitchen towel and twist it until taut. Form the towel into a ring and set your bowl atop your towel ring. This helps to stabilize your bowl and facilitate the whisking.
vinaigrette, simple dressing, oil and vinegar
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