Ever wondered what it means preparing vegetable ‘vinaigrette style’ – I did. Basically vegetables are steamed or blanched then tossed in a mixture of your preferred salad oil and vinegar often with a bit of mustard. There are more elaborate vinaigrettes for fish and meat preparations such as chimichurri which is an Argentinian version of “vinaigrette.”
(Swiss chard with Champagne vinaigrette and red onions)
Over the years I have come up with different preparations for peas, beans, beets vinaigrette, among others. But first let’s travel to Paris for a classic.
My bistro nostalgia
It all started for me when I ate leeks vinaigrette in a bistro during my time apprenticing in Paris. It was a simple preparation of leeks in a log shape, doused in a light mustard Champagne vinaigrette. To my astonishment these leeks were meaty and fat in a textural way and really pleasant to my palate.
(house-made chicken sausage with potato salad and bacon fat vinaigrette)
A little bit about preparing leeks
Resembling a scallion, leeks are related to both garlic and onions though their flavor profile is milder and more subtle. They have a thick, cylindrical shape with a green leaved crown and their tightly rolled layers resemble a morning newspaper. Currently they are amazing at the Greenmarket. I hear a lot of people using them for soup, but I cook them in my “Parisian style”.
- I remove the first layer of the white stalk bottom and cut off the dark green crown – it’s a bit bitter and tough
- I suggest cutting the white base of the leek into 1-inch long rounds and soak them for 3-5 minutes in a shallow bowl filled with luke-warm water (this will rinse off any dirt)
- Sometimes blanching vegetables in boiling, salted water is a good way of tenderizing them but in the case of leeks I think it makes a big difference when they are steamed. So, place the cut leek rounds next to each other in a perforated cooking insert/pan then steam over boiling water for 5-8 minutes (depending on the size of the leek or until tender in texture) then transfer to the kitchen counter and cool at room temperature. Steaming leeks in this way preserves the welcoming, natural oniony flavor and they look pretty in their original round shape versus falling apart when blanching.
(leeks vinaigrette with butternut squash, black walnuts and escarole salad)
Mustard Vinaigrette
(enough vinaigrette for four portions)
1 garlic clove
5 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon powder sugar
½ teaspoon sea salt such as Baline
½ teaspoon grainy Dijon mustard
two pinches cayenne
5 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Peel garlic then cut thinly (1/8-inch thick)
- In a small pot bring water to boil then add garlic and boil for 30 seconds. Remove garlic/water from heat.
- Combine garlic/water, powder sugar, salt, mustard, cayenne and vinegar in a kitchen blender
- Process spice mixture (30 seconds) then add oils slowly (this will create a heavy cream like emulsion)
- Toss warm leek rounds with mustard vinaigrette
Chef’s Tip: Don’t forget to try other vegetables vinaigrette-style like rainbow beets, meaty celery root, early Fall squash and all of Fall’s exciting vegetables being harvested now.
