A Simple Salad with Homemade Vinaigrette
I absolutely LOVE this salad. I cannot stop eating it. So simple to make. In the winter, I make it with baby spinach leaves but once arugula season hits, I switch the spinach out for that. No matter which “leaves” you use, it’s the homemade vinaigrette that ties together all of the flavors. And, if you have a daughter like mine who wanders into the kitchen, asking, “Watcha makin’ Mom?” and then wanders out after having polished off the last bit of the vinaigrette on her own salad, you may want to make a double batch. As for the cheese, I was turned on to “chèvre sec” (literally – dry goat cheese) a few years ago. It has a creamy texture with a consistency more like feta as opposed to the regular soft goat cheese. There is a fromagerie right here in Mollala, Oregon making this type of artisan cheese – Goldin Artisan Goat Cheese. I happened to find a tiny, little wedge of her Tomme Cuivree at New Seasons the other day. Needless to say, it is now gone.
A Simple Spinach Salad with Homemade Vinaigrette
I come back to this vinaigrette recipe over and over. It’s not so much a recipe as it is a suggestion of ratios with each person changing the ingredients to his or her liking. Hope it will be a nice starting place for you to create your own vinaigrettes.
a handful of greens – spinach, arugula or baby
crumbled goat cheese – chèvre sec or regular
toasted walnuts – 350 degrees for 10 minutes or in a pinch, 1 min in the microwave
freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp sea salt, kosher salt or whatever salt you use
1 tbsp sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or lemon juice
1 tbsp shallot, peeled, minced (you could substitute this for a clove of garlic)
1/2 tsp Dijon or whole-grain mustard (I tend to use Maille, Edmond Fallot, Beaufort or Dulcet mustards)
3-4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (I usually use 4)
crumbled goat cheese – chèvre sec or regular
toasted walnuts – 350 degrees for 10 minutes or in a pinch, 1 min in the microwave
freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp sea salt, kosher salt or whatever salt you use
1 tbsp sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or lemon juice
1 tbsp shallot, peeled, minced (you could substitute this for a clove of garlic)
1/2 tsp Dijon or whole-grain mustard (I tend to use Maille, Edmond Fallot, Beaufort or Dulcet mustards)
3-4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (I usually use 4)
Top with walnuts and goat cheese. I sometimes add a few sliced mushrooms or cucumber slices but not much else. I try to keep it simple.
For the vinaigrette, mix together the salt, vinegar and shallot in a small bowl. Let stand for about ten minutes while you prepare your salad and/or roast your walnuts.
Mix in the mustard, then whisk in 3 tbsp of olive oil. Slowly drizzling it in as you whisk.
Taste. If it’s too strong add the final tablespoon of oil and a bit more salt, if necessary.
Drizzle on your salad. Toss to lightly coat every little bit of salad on your plate with the golden vinaigrette.
Eat. Sigh. Enjoy.
For the vinaigrette, mix together the salt, vinegar and shallot in a small bowl. Let stand for about ten minutes while you prepare your salad and/or roast your walnuts.
Mix in the mustard, then whisk in 3 tbsp of olive oil. Slowly drizzling it in as you whisk.
Taste. If it’s too strong add the final tablespoon of oil and a bit more salt, if necessary.
Drizzle on your salad. Toss to lightly coat every little bit of salad on your plate with the golden vinaigrette.
Eat. Sigh. Enjoy.
YIELD: 1 salad, 1/4 cup vinaigrette
no wonder you are so thin! you eat spinach salads as a main course! I will try this…which I don't cook much in the kitchen. is this considered cooking?