Green salad with vinaigrette is a classic of French cuisine, perhaps because it pairs so well with fatty food. But once you know how to make a vinaigrette, you don’t have to stop there! You can use it to add brightness to any vegetable you want.
A good Vinaigrette makes all the difference
Americans glamorously “dress” their salads; the French toss them with vinaigrette. And though French words are often seen as glamorous in the U.S., vinaigrette is actually a very practical, down-to-earth term.
The word originates from vinaigre (vinegar), which is a fusion of the French words vin (wine) and aigre (sour). Quite bluntly, vinaigre is a wine that has turned sour. To this, the suffix “-ette” is added — and voilà, you have vinaigrette, a “little” sauce with a vinegar base.
The most common vinaigres in France are apple cider and red wine, speaking to the country’s many apple orchards and vineyards. But with Spain and Italy next door, people desiring a stronger kick often use xérès (sherry) and balsamic vinegars too.
The first “dish” I learned
My grandmother in Eastern France — home to some excellent pinot noir — would always use red wine vinegar. A short, modest woman, she’d whip up a simple vinaigrette using supermarket staples. When I was 8 or 9, she taught me to do the same. From then on, she’d always have me mix the vinaigrette and prepare the greens, to my greatest joy.
Grandpa would bring a fresh head of lettuce from the garden. After eagerly spinning it dry, I would combine the ingredients for the sauce. First the vinegar, next the salt and dry herbs, then a little mustard to emulsify, and finally the oil to tame the sourness. All while tasting with an inquisitive finger for guaranteed deliciousness.
The goal was to end up with a sauce delectable enough to soak up with bread once the salad was gone. And when dad and I would have a stare-down to see who’d get to mop up the bottom of the bowl, we knew the vinaigrette was a success.
About this Recipe
Green salad is a great palate cleanser for heavier foods. Eat it as a side for something greasy or as an interlude before desert. Either way, I recommend having it with bread and a piece of fragrant cheese!
Preferably in spring, get your hands on a luscious head of lettuce. Then mix a few pantry items in the right order, and turn bland greens into a flavorful side dish.
This humble green salad is the perfect way to showcase a terroir (regional flavors). The straightforward dressing lets each ingredient shine.
Beyond the beloved green salad, this simple vinaigrette opens the door to myriad possibilities. Drizzle it on blanched green beans, creamy white beans, steamed leeks — to only name a few.
What’s your go-to vinaigrette? Got a favorite leafy green? Tell me about you in the comments below!
Classic Green Salad & Vinaigrette — Salade verte et vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1/2 lush head of lettuce
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar – or your favorite
- 2 pinches sea salt – or to taste
- 1/2 tsp dry herbs – parsley, tarragon, etc.
- 1/2 tsp finely minced alliums – garlic, chives, shallots
- 1/2 tsp Dijon or grain mustard
- 2 tbsp olive oil – substitute with sunflower, hazelnut, or oil of choice
Instructions
- To a large serving bowl, add about 1 tbsp of vinegar, a few pinches of salt and about 1/2 tsp each of dried herbs and finely minced fresh alliums. Leave this alone for 10 minutes. The salt will dissolve and the seasoning rehydrate and mellow.
- While this sits, gently wash and spin dry, or shake, your lettuce. Cut or tear the large leaves down to a more manageable size.
- Now taste your vinaigrette. Acid and salt should be in balance. The alliums should have lost some of their sharpness. Add a small dollop of mustard, about 1/2 tsp, and fully incorporate it with a fork. Taste again. Is this sharp enough for you? Great! Too forward on the mustard? Add a little vinegar to counterbalance.
- With fork, vigorously whisk in about 2 tbsp of oil until well emulsified. Taste and, if too sour, keep adding oil until your preferred sourness level is reached.
- Put your serving utensils in the bottom of the bowl and add the prepared lettuce on top — this way the salad won’t get soggy. Refrigerate if you’re not eating right away. When ready to serve, mix by gently lifting the bottom leaves to the top until all the greens are coated!
Notes
Please rate this recipe if you made it and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below or on this page!