French dressing is a classic early restaurant memory for us. The emulsified version is a North American twist, but it works just as well as an oil and vinegar dressing.
Mechanic
Equal parts oil and lemon juice makes this sharper than a modern vinaigrette: the usual ratio is 3:1. The dry mustard emulsifies it. Garlic goes in split rather than crushed so it infuses gently over days rather than overwhelming the dressing immediately.
1Oil
1Lemon
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 cloves garlic, split
- Dash of Tabasco sauce
- 60 ml (¼ cup) neutral oil
- 60 ml (¼ cup) lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (use a vegan one for a vegan dressing)
- 1 tablespoon onion juice
Method
Combine all ingredients in a jar or bottle. For the onion juice, halve an onion and squeeze it through a lemon squeezer directly into the jar. Seal and shake well.
Refrigerate. Shake before each use.
To serve
Any tossed salad.
Notes
- The 1:1 oil-to-lemon ratio is noticeably tart. For a mellower dressing, increase oil to 90 ml (6 tablespoons).
- Remove the garlic after a week if the flavour gets too strong.
- Keeps 2–3 weeks refrigerated.
- Recipe from Don’s mother, via the family archive.