How to Make a Vinaigrette

I've mentioned several times in the past that vinaigrettes are extraordinarily versatile. I've developed multiple variations over the years and the recipes are very forgiving. At the core, vinaigrettes are an emulsion of oils, vinegar, (sometimes flavored with sweeteners), herbs, spices and mustard. The trick is to use the best ingredients you can. I've cooked with several quality vinegars in the past and Bellindora makes some of the most awesome ones I've come across.

This week, I'll show you how to flavor your favorite salad, meat or fish and dessert with the delicious vinegars I received. Today, I used Bellindora balsamic apple vinegar and served it with a simple apple (how appropriate!), artichoke, grape, Cheddar and arugula salad. Quick, effortless and incredibly flavorful are words that come to mind when describing this salad dressing. 

When I launched PhamFatale.com, I remember the first thing my in-laws and friends would ask is if I could share my recipe for vinaigrette. I've made it daily in my home since I was a child. My husband Lulu loves it so much, he says he could eat it with French fries. The procedure is pretty easy and the salad dressing stores very well in the refrigerator (3-4 days). I make two-cup batches at a time and I guarantee you won't feel the need to buy the ready-made ones from the supermarket anymore.

Before I end today's post, I have one more announcement. I'll be giving a cooking demonstration (complete with samples!) of one of my potato creations at the Los Altos library. On Saturday, May 25th, starting at 2 pm, I will be talking about my first cookbook, Haute Potato, and cooking, and we'll have the opportunity to chat afterwards. This event is free and open to the public and my cookbook will also be available for purchase and signing. So as to be able to serve enough food for everyone, I would greatly appreciate an RSVP so you may be added to the guest list: send an email to events{at}PhamFatale{dot}com with "Haute Potato Reservation" as the subject, indicating the number of people you'll be coming with. Please spread the word; the more the merrier. I'm so excited, can't wait to meet you!

Event Type: Adult Program
Age Group(s): Adult, Teen
Date: 5/25/2013
Start Time: 2:00 PM
Santa Clara County Library District
Los Altos Library |  www.sccl.org
13 S. San Antonio Rd. | Los Altos, CA 94024 

Boiled Brussels Sprouts with Grapefruit Salad Dressing

Cooking Brussel sprouts can be a chore, especially if you roast them. So today since I was running out of time, I simply boiled and mixed them warm with a grapefruit salad dressing. For garnish I added freshly-cut grapefruit segments and sunflower seeds.

Boiled vegetables can be delicious if seasoned and paired with a flavorful sauce. Just look for a few fresh, complementary ingredients before deciding on a particular flavor route.

Anchovy Vinaigrette Recipe

I had an opened jar of anchovies in the refrigerator from the photoshoot I did for my upcoming cookbook (Haute Potato, out this December). Since I'm the only one in our home who likes the oily, salted fish, I came up with a simple way of putting it to good use. I found the anchovies to be a bit too salty to my taste, so I ran them under cold water, then ground them into a paste. The flavor-packed mixture became the base of a salad dressing. The rest is really as it pleases you; I added a bit of horseradish mustard for a little heat, fruity extra-virgin olive oil and Champagne pear vinegar for a touch of decadence.   

The salad was composed very simply of hard-cooked eggs, tomatoes, pine nuts and butter lettuce. Voilà! 

Cauliflower Tomato Salad Recipe

We recently had guests for dinner and I made a cauliflower and tomato salad. I explained to our guests how this "salade de chou fleur et tomates" was made and the following day our guests emailed me back thanking me for this new recipe.

Inevitably, whenever we have guests over, my mother-in-law exclaims "Look what an amazing dish Jackie made today! Did you know Jackie has a food website? She posts daily recipes on PhamFatale.com and she's a soon-to-be published author." And whenever she goes anywhere, she talks about my cooking and about PhamFatale.com. And now that I have my first cookbook coming out soon ("Haute Potato" due on December 18th), she hands out cards to promote my book. She's my own one-woman PR firm!

Back to the dish...I boiled cauliflower very briefly then flavored it with champagne vinegar and a bit of honey. I mixed the cauliflower with beautiful heirloom tomatoes from our garden and shredded lettuce. For a nice contrast in texture, I added lightly toasted almond slices. If you want more crunch you could also top the salad with croutons.

Cucumber and Yogurt Salad Recipe

I'm still working on using the cucumbers from our garden. I know my husband Lulu spent a lot of time planting all the vegetables so I try my best to make flavorful dishes using the results of his hard labor. 

Today I used Marketmore cucumbers and served them as a first course. The dish was composed of seeded, sliced cucumbers, finely chopped pickled grape leaves and diced red bell peppers. I tied the flavors of the salad together with a dressing made with yogurt, mustard and olive oil.

I understand that the process of planting, watering and caring for the vegetables requires a lot of work, so I definitely feel responsible for creating unique dishes that showcase the quality of the ingredients. Love you Lulu! Don't we make a great team?