Parisian Vinaigrette

Perfect for dressing a little frisee aux lardons, a tried and true Parisian bistro classic. For the salad you simply take frisee, washed and diced and add diced bacon and hard boiled eggs cut in half lengthwise.

Parisian Vinaigrette

Recipe courtesy of Laurent Sainsot

• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 5 T. sunflower oil
•  salt & pepper
• chopped flat parsley
• 1 shallot chopped thin
• 1 T. Dijon mustard

Shake or whip or just mix with a fork…..it’s vinaigrette, which I use with any salad. The magic? Add 10 drops of Bovril or Viandox seasoning.

Viandox is a salty sauce available at grocery stores in France with a little meat extract favoring called MSG. It was developed by a process invented by Justus von Liebig.  It is now produced by the company Unilever , which markets it under the brand Knorr. Like the soy sauce, it can be used as table seasoning. This condiment can also enhance the flavor of sauces such as dressings.  The ingredients are: water , salt , extract of yeast , coloring: caramel (E150a – E150c), soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt), flavor enhancers : monosodium glutamate from sodium inosinate and sodium guanylate, acidifying : citric acid and lactic acid, extract of beef extract, spices (fenugreek, lovage), flavorings (including celery).

David Chang’s Little Gem Salad

“Here’s what I know about making a great salad: Meat helps. I learned this trick early on when I wondered why the salads were so good while I was working for Daniel Boulud. The secret, as revealed to me, was a healthy dose of veal or chicken jus in the vinaigrette. If you’re already roasting a chicken, you can use the pan drippings. Otherwise, reduce a cup of stock until it’s almost syrupy, then whisk it together with a little Dijon mustard, minced shallots, sherry vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper for a simple, delicious dressing. My other favorite move with salads is to add even more richness in the form of a poached or slow-cooked egg. I like to poach eggs in a microwave. Use this egg poaching method to figure out how to calculate the perfect recipe for your home microwave.”