Red Wine Vinaigrette

As featured in the Loaves and Fishes Cooking School

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced shallots
salt and pepper to taste

Whisk together vinegar and mustard. Slowly add olive oil while continuously whisking. This forms an emulsion which helps keep the oil suspended in the vinegar thus preventing separation. The mustard helps it stay in emulsion. Add shallots then add salt (preferably sea salt) and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Notes: The basic ratio for a vinaigrette is 1/3 acid to 2/3 oil. Now you can substitute various acids in your vinaigrette such as lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar or a combination. You can also substitute different oils for a unique flavor such as walnut oil, avocado oil or just safflower oil for a mild flavor. You might use garlic in place of the shallot. I like a little honey mixed in if I just use lemon juice as the acid - this is particularly nice with summer tomatoes.