Tomato, Sherry Vinegar Vinaigrette

Tomato, Sherry Vinegar Vinaigrette

This is a really handy variation on a plain French vinaigrette. It is particularly good for poached or steamed vegetables.

Uses: Salad Dressing

medium tomato skinned, chopped in a fine cube with pith and seeds removed

2 msk or 2 tbls

good quality sherry vinegar

4 msk or 4 tbls

good quality olive oil

1 tsk or 1 teas

Dijon mustard

4 msk or 4 tbls

vegetable or sunflower oil

1 tsk or 1 teas

sugar

Large pinch

salt

freshly grated black pepper

Assembling the recipe:

In a small mixing bowl place the vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk it all together.

Pour the olive oil and vegetable oil in a thin stream while whisking all the time into the vinegar and mustard mixture. You are trying to make an emulsion like a very thin mayonnaise.

Take the tomatoes that you have cubes very small and lightly crush them with the back of a fork.

Add them to the vinaigrette mixture. Thin the sauce with a few drops of water if the vinaigrette is too thick and let set for about a half hour.

Then use over cooked, or steamed vegetables of your choice or a very hearty salad that will stand up to the strong taste of the sherry vinegar.

Notes:

This is a very useful little salad dressing and can be used for a lot of different things. I like this over poached, chilled fresh asparagus or artichokes, the red flecks of tomato give it a very pretty look on the plate. It is very good for using over many grilled vegetables such as zucchini, roasted peppers and can be used over warm new potatoes and in potato salad. You can of course leave out the chopped tomatoes and use it on salads with tomatoes. I would even use this over or with a bit of grilled fish or chicken.

You decide, keep in mind that sherry vinegar comes in many qualities, ask about it where you purchase your cooking supplies. It also has a very particular flavor that you wouldn't want to use if you wanted a very delicate vinaigrette on boston lettuce (blad salad).