Vivacious Vinaigrette

Scrumptious Staples

Vivacious Vinaigrette

Time 7 minutes at most

Ok, so here is another staple...there are probably a million recipes for vinaigrettes, but I promise you this one is the best. This is a case where the simplest combination of ingredients is not ideal, you need to put a bit of effort into this, but it is well worth it. The beauty comes from the realization that expending a little bit of your own energy helps you combine some solid ingredients into something that is truly greater than the sum of it's parts. This dressing is incredibly creamy, but surprisingly does not require any cream at all, the finished product therefore maintains the complex and strong flavors of olive oil and balsamic without being diluted.

Ingredients:
1 half cup good extra virgin olive oil
1 quarter cup of balsamic vinegar
1 heaping teaspoon of smooth good quality dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves peeled
salt and pepper to taste

Ok, so first step, take your chef's knife (a big knife) and crack the garlic with the flat side, don't press so hard that the cloves crush, just hard enough so that they split into a couple of pieces and release some flavorful oils. Mix the garlic into a bowl with the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Now, grab your whisk (Or a fork, but a whisk is better. If you do use a fork, you’re gonna have to mix twice as hard to attain maximum creaminess) and slowly drizzle the olive oil in to the mixture while vigorously whisking. Really take it slow, start with a few drops at a time and pour very slowly from there. The slower you do this, the creamier the dressing. Everybody likes their vinaigrette with different proportions of oil and vinegar, after you have poured in about half of the oil, start tasting and stop when it is to your liking. Before serving remove the pieces of garlic, but don't throw them out, they can still be minced or chopped and used for another dish. I actually like to eat them right out of the bowl, but that may be a bit to strong for your tastes (although some people say that fresh garlic has some pretty interesting health effects see: The 2000 year old man). Toss this dressing with your favorite lettuce or green (I like arugula), maybe some sliced tomatoes, maybe some goat/feta cheese, maybe some toasted pine nuts and dried fruit. You can make it as fancy as you like, but I think just lettuce and dressing is pretty good and simple. Take your time, enjoy the slight burn in your wrist from the whisking, don't take short cuts, and enjoy one of the worlds simple pleasures.