Maple Shallot Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 small shallot minced
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup get the real stuff
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
- ¼ cup canola oil
Instructions
- Start by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Sauté the shallot until soft and translucent, about 1 minute.
- Remove the shallots to your favorite bowl for making salad dressing. Some like using a shallow cereal bowl; I like using a recycled jar with a lid that I can store the extra dressing.
- Add the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, mustard and just a pinch of salt and pepper. We will adjust seasonings at the end.
- Now comes the critical step of adding the canola oil to the bowl. You want to add the oil slowly and in a steady stream while you are either whisking with a small whisk or mixing with a fork but don't stop blending.This will help emulsify the oil and the vinegar, two substances that don't like to stay mixed together. The mustard also helps by acting as an emulsifying agent. When you are done adding the oil to the dressing, let it sit for a bit to meld flavors.
- You can serve right away, but you may find the dressing even better in a few hours or even the next day.
Notes
Serve this with a nice selection of mixed greens. In the photo above, I've added some crumbled blue cheese for another layer of flavor.