a secret to dressing?

[heidi h]

Hi

When I am invited to a french home for food the dressings on the salads ALWAYS taste amazing. When asked they all give the same receipe -  4 parts oil, one part vinegar, salt and pepper. I have tried over and over to recreate the tastes using different oils and vinegars but with no luck. My neighbour even gave me a bottle of their home made vinegar to try but it still didn't taste as good as hers. What am a doing wrong? Is there a cunning culinary secret being kept from me?

[cooperlola]

Underwear on first usually works for me.  (So sorry, couldn't resist.)[6]

[RumziGal]

I'd go for 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

You can also mix some mustard in.

The real secret, as with lots of French cooking, is lots of salt, probably much more than you'd normally think to put in.

[Lori]

I agree with Rumzigal's breakdown of 3 parts to 1  AND the salt. 

We also found that the taste vastly improved when we purchased freshly pressed olive oil from a local olive press.  The quality of oil so far exceeded ANYTHING we had purchased in the various shops and boutiques round here.

I am currently on a Balsamic Vinegar trend.  I also add a crushed garlic to mine.  I got tired of using some dijon.  You can really play around with it to your tastes.

 

[opas]

lorri , I sent you a pm earlier in the week.

[heidi h]

Thanks for the replies. I will try a little less oil in future. I had heard about lots of salt before but it never tastes nice when I add plenty. I even bought some of that expensive fleur de sel but even that didn't make any difference. What kind of quantities are we talking?

[mint]

i agree with 3 parts oil to 1 of vinegar.  NOT strong vinegar, however, white wine or cider vinegar.  then some mustard; i use good old colmans (powder) in the uk and any of the french ones in france.  salt and seasoning and my secret ingredient is a bit of sugar (quarter to half teaspoon depending on the amount of dressing).  the sugar seems to bring out the flavours of the other ingredients.  vinegar flavoured with herbs is also good; i personally like tarragon-flavoured vinegar.

happy experimenting!

[Suze01]

Try using a different oil. Personally I find olive oil too strong a flavour and so use walnut oil instead. I also dress a salad with plain walnut oil with a sprinkle of s&p, that's delicious too.

[Teamedup]

I use a level teaspoon of dijon mustard. I whisk enough oil, whichever I am using that day, ie sunflower or a mix of olive and sunflower and keep dribbling the oil in until it all goes thick like mayonnaise. Then I beat in a teaspoon or two of vinaigre, depends which I fancy. I taste at this point and if too mustardy add a bit more vinaigre or maybe oil, I go by the taste for most things. And it if is too thick I stir in a little boiling water at a time until it is the consistency I want. I taste before adding any salt or pepper. I also add fromage blanc or creme fraiche sometimes to this.

 

I also make another just using a little olive oil and a little vinaigre and lemon juice and beat them altogether. I go by the taste with that too.

 

[Lori]

Never got it Opas....  can you resend?

 

[SlinkyKitten]

I use 3:1 olive oil to balsamic vinegar, a little salt and pepper, whole grain mustard and a squashed whole garlic clove.  Put it in a jar shake it up and stick in the fridge.  The flavour gets better the longer you leave it.

[Gemini_man]

totally agree with SlinkyKitten - but don't forget to get it out of the 'fridge a while before using or it's just not the same [:)]

edit: olive oil fruité is a lot tastier than the basic one.

[JSA Aude]

The chef in our local resto also adds a couple of drops of viandox - tastes good in a strong salad (onions, peppers,etc)

[Charlotte3]

Round here they use colza oil, because it has no flavour and is very light. Rest of the recipe is the same.

Aly