This is a favorite dressing, and has been for years. Use good quality vinegar, but save your best stuff for other uses. This dressing is good on any salad, and goes well with fruit salad, too. You can also heat it up and pour it over sliced mushrooms. This will cook the mushrooms and give them a “pickled” flavor, and they keep well for several days in the refrigerator. They are good in salad and make a nice topping for grilled meat or poultry.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar 6 tablespoons olive oil (If you use extra virgin oil, I recommend a milder oil. The flavor will come through without overpowering the dressing) 1 garlic clove, peeled ½ teaspoon fresh minced thyme, or thyme and marjoram mixed 1 pinch of salt and 1 big pinch of fresh ground black pepper
METHOD:
Rub the bottom of a large non-reactive bowl with the garlic clove. Rub very vigorously, to the point of breaking down the clove. You want to see the oils from the garlic on the inside of the bowl. Allow a minute for the oil to dry in the bowl. This allows the flavor of garlic to infuse the dressing without making the dressing “hot” or leaving little spicy surprises in the dressing to imbalance the flavors. Add the vinegar, herbs, salt, and pepper. Allow a few minutes for the flavors to marry.
Place the bowl in a dishtowel twisted into a ring to hold it in place, and begin to drizzle the oil in a thin stream into the edge of the vinegar pool, whisking vigorously to emulsify the oil. Do this until the oil is all incorporated. If the dressing still seems “thin”, add a little more oil to achieve a thick “creamy” consistency. Use as needed. Store in the refrigerator, but be sure to pull it out 10-15 minutes before you want to use it.
Chef’s Notes:
If you want to make more of this, just remember it is a 3:1 ratio of oil to vinegar. Scale up accordingly.
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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