How to Make a Classic Vinaigrette With Chef Thomas Keller
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Dec 18, 2024 • 1 min read
Michelin-starred Chef Thomas Keller, of Ad Hoc, Bouchon, and The French Laundry, says: “When we’re making our vinaigrettes and our different sauces we can use olive oil or we can use any other oil that we like...There’s all different kinds of vinegars and oils that you can use. So don’t take anything as a rule.”
Follow Chef Keller’s recipe for a standout homemade vinaigrette.
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What Is a Vinaigrette?
In its simplest form, a vinaigrette is a mix of oil and vinegar—something to dip our bread in, or toss as dressing in our salads. Typically, a vinaigrette has a ratio of three-parts oil to one-part vinegar. But vinaigrettes are varied and versatile. They can be made with myriad ingredients, and put to nearly endless uses.
What Are the Different Types of Vinaigrettes?
Different culinary traditions have given rise to different vinaigrettes.
- A traditional Italian vinaigrette is made with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
- In France, the traditional combination is a neutral oil, such as grapeseed, with red wine vinegar.
What Does Vinaigrette Pair Well With?
Try marrying your vinaigrettes with different dishes. They’re delicious with:
- Meat
- Fish
- Poultry
- Vegetables
- Eggs
And yes, they’re also great as salad dressings, or for dipping bread.
Chef Thomas Keller’s Emulsified Vinaigrette Recipe
makes
1/2 Litertotal time
10 mincook time
10 minIngredients
Mise en place
Ingredients
Equipment
Chef Keller says not to be confined by rules. He encourages you to balance and season your vinaigrettes to your taste, and to experiment with different oils and vinegars, like apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar, and fresh herbs.
If you’d rather use citrus as your acid instead—lemon juice or lime or grapefruit, to name just a few—go ahead.
Combine egg yolks, mustard, shallots, and thyme leaves in a mixing bowl. Begin drizzling in the oil while whisking constantly. Continue doing so until the ingredients begin to emulsify. A single egg yolk can absorb a large quantity of oil.
Drizzle in vinegar and continue whisking. Taste as you go, and adjust the flavors to your liking.
A vinaigrette can be stored in your refrigerator in a sealed container for a week.