So simple – Make a vinaigrette for that salad you’ll serve your guests tonight. So complex – Make a vinaigrette that isn’t too acidic or too bland. Where do you begin?
Julia Child and Jacques Pépin each make flavor-filled vinaigrettes. These legendary chefs use almost identical ingredients. But that is where the similarities end. In their characteristic ways, they vary ingredient proportions to create vinaigrettes to match their unique trademark styles.
Come join the staff of the soon-to-be-world-famous Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen as we recreate both recipes. We will describe for you the magic that is taking place when making a vinaigrette. Then we will place two salads, each with their respective dressings in front of our uniquely qualified guest chef. – She will answer for us this most important question.
Which vinaigrette is better? – Julia’s or Jacques’s?
Great Vinaigrette Challenge Background
Our Test Kitchen staff frequently watches episodes from the old PBS series Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home. Even better, dear friends gifted us with the book that accompanied the series – Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home: A Cookbook. The series and the book prove one very important axiom we live by in our Test Kitchen:
Two different paths can lead to equally fine results.
We decided to demonstrate how this can be. That decision is how the Great Vinaigrette Challenge came into being. We decided to use two simple recipes presented by Julia and Jacques on pages 114-115 of their cookbook. Our task was to show how the artistic choices of two great chefs would follow two different paths. And, despite use of individualized techniques, both Julia and Jacques would achieve equally fine results.
But that was not enough! We decided to go one step further. Though not a contest and certainly not a rivalry, we decided to bring in an unbiased authority to evaluate and decide:
Which vinaigrette is better? – Julia’s or Jacques’s?
A Three Step Challenge
We decided to divide the Great Vinaigrette Challenge into three steps, each with its own post:
1 – Julia Child’s Vinaigrette – Is It Better than Jacques’s? This post describes the challenge and presents the recipe for Julia’s Lemon-Oil Dressing
2 – Jacques Pépin’s Vinaigrette – Is it Better than Julia’s? This post presents the recipe for Jacques’s Vinaigrette in a Jar and compares and contrasts it with Julia’s recipe.
3 – The Great Vinaigrette Challenge This post highlights the tasting, evaluating and judging of the two competing vinaigrettes. Don’t miss this one. You may be surprised by the results.
What’s a Vinaigrette?
Were you impatient? Have you already clicked the “Jump to Recipe” button? Did you read through Julia’s list of ingredients? I’ll bet you were surprised to find that vinegar was not on the list.
Well, I can understand your impatience and why you jumped ahead. But now that you are back with me, I will share a simple truth with you. There is no single formula for a vinaigrette. – Yes, a vinaigrette should have an acidic component, but lemon juice is often used instead of vinegar. And there are a host of other variable ingredients as well. And that illustrates once again the Serendipity Farmhouse Test Kitchen axiom:
Two different paths can lead to equally fine results.
Julia’s Lemon-Oil Dressing
Just about the time you come to an understanding of a culinary term, somebody throws a new one at you. All along, we’ve talked about Julia and Jacques and their vinaigrettes. So, why does the cookbook call Julia’s Lemon-Oil recipe a “dressing”? – Simple, all vinaigrettes are dressings, but not all dressings are vinaigrettes.
Julia Child found it worthwhile “to have a simple, standard dressing for everyday salads,” something that can be prepared in a moment’s notice. That was how she thought of her Lemon-Oil Dressing.
Persnickety Pierre’s Criteria of Excellence
There is no need to spend much time discussing how my Criteria of Excellence apply to this simple vinaigrette. It will suffice to note that, if Julia thought that this recipe is one that “you can whip up in a minute,” it should present no challenge to even the most junior chef.
There is a word of caution here. Selection of good-quality ingredients is an ever-important factor in achieving the fine results in taste and flavor you are seeking.
Summary
Now, you have learned that every good chef needs a back pocket vinaigrette recipe. Even Julia Child and Jacques Pépin have their go-to recipes. The basic ingredients are generally easy to find and easy to use. You can vary the basic recipes by changing ingredient proportions and adding herbs and spices.
Try out the recipe below and see how Julia does it. Our next post will give you the opportunity to make a vinaigrette the way Jacques does.
Once you’ve tried out both recipes, you will have accomplished two things. First, you will know how to make a vinaigrette. Second, you’ll be able to sit right alongside our highly qualified guest chef and make your own judgement:
Which vinaigrette is better? – Julia’s or Jacques’s?
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs minced shallots or scallions
- 2 tsp Dijon-style prepared mustard
- 2 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
- About ¼ tsp salt or more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ½ cup excellent olive oil
Instructions
- Put the minced scallions, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small mixing bowl and whisk until well blended.
- Pour in the oil slowly, in droplets at first, and then in a thin stream, whisking constantly until the oil has been completely emulsified and the dressing has thickened.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Use immediately; if the dressing separates while standing, whisk to blend.
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This is going to be a great showdown!!!
What are examples of excellent, salad worthy, olive oils? There are so many brands on the store shelves.
Here at the SFH-TK, extra-virgin olive oil is preferred for salads. It can stand alone with red wine vinegar or be used in a vinaigrette. Economy and quality must both be considered. Also, some brands, even the better-known ones, might not be all they claim to be. Most of our olive oil is purchased at Sam’s Club. Member’s Mark has worked out very well for us. But it’s up to you the shopper to do your own homework. Caveat emptor! Ever yours in fine food, Pierre