Red Wine Vinaigrette

There are so many variations of a red wine vinaigrette, its hard to have a favorite. However, this recipe has quickly moved up in my ranks. It's a small recipe so its perfect for one or two salads and if you like what you taste -- make more.

It's a variation on this recipe I wrote about a while ago.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp Oregano (really just a pinch)
• 1 small shallot (use half of one if it seems big)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Honey

Directions:

Combine red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, oregano, shallot and just a touch of honey and whisk together in a bowl. Once that combination is mixed together well slllllllooowwwwwwwwly stream in some EVOO, I would say about 2-3 tablespoons worth, and whisk away.

It's really that easy, the only hard part is trying to hold the bottle of EVOO and whisk at the same time, but you'll manage.

Now if you wondering "why honey?" Good news. I'll tell you. I've made this dressing more times than I can count and I love it, but sometimes the red wine is just too bitter for me. So I find that adding the honey cuts out that bite a bit.

If you like your dressings a little less sweet and a little more, garlic-y (sure, why not), instead of shallow chop up a clove of garlic.

This is great on any salad!

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Red Wine Mustard Vinaigrette

This was another part of my wonderful 4 course dinner that Leah made me the other night.

Packed with flavor, this vinaigrette could make me eat any salad. Toss with some gorgonzola or bleu cheese crumbles and you're done!

Ingredients (this will fill a salad dressing bottle)

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 chopped shallot
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/2 the juice of a lemon
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• pepper to taste

Directions

First, mix everything together except the olive oil.

Once mixed together, while constantly whisking, start slowly adding in the olive oil.

Once the mixture starts taking the olive oil (you will see distinct lines running through the mixture, not balls of olive oil on the sides and top) you can start adding in the olive oil a little faster.

However, if you add in the olive oil too fast, the mixture wont take the olive oil and you will break the dressing. Leah has informed me that this dressing is technically called an emulsion. Basically its when you mix two things that dont go together, you force them to combine.

I took pictures of my pretty salad and the finished dressing, but unfortunately I forgot my camera today so check back tomorrow.

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