Versatile Vinaigrette

Whenever I am trying to eat a little lighter, I turn to simply poached, steamed, and broiled fish or poultry. And one of my favorite quick and easy ways to give that piece of protein a little flavor is to sauce it with vinaigrette. Just before serving, I spoon a tablespoon or so over each portion and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper... and just like that, excellent flavor!

Vinaigrettes are extremely versatile. Basic vinaigrette can always be modified by adding other flavor components to marry quite nicely with sole, rockfish, scallops, chicken breasts, quail, or even turkey. I make a large quantity of basic vinaigrette at the beginning of the week. The classic recipe of 4 parts oil, 1 part vinegar, a spoonful of good Dijon mustard, and some salt, pepper is a good starting point.

The oil choice may, of course, be extra-virgin olive, but there are lots of other possibilities, like grapeseed, peanut, walnut or hazelnut, or even a mild all-purpose vegetable like canola or corn. While the basic recipe usually calls for red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, this limits the flavor potential, especially if you use mass-produced vinegars.

I am always looking for new vinegars ideas to broaden my flavor horizons. The basics in my kitchen include wine vinegars that are made in small batches from single varieties of grapes, many of which are barrel-aged to ensure excellent flavor; Champagne, Grenache, Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Zinfandel vinegars are all great possibilities. For even more flavor, try vinegars made from dessert wines like Sherry, Banyuls, or Vin Santo.

These days, the most flavorful vinegars - look for them in specialty markets - are fruit vinegars. They're made not by infusing wine vinegar with fruit flavor, but by using just the fruit. With only 5% acid, these are usually softer than wine vinegars and even more flavorful. Fig, Tomato, Cucumber, Chestnut Honey, Red Pepper, and Black Currant all come to mind. I also like to blend, and my favorite combination these days seems to be a little Champagne, Banyuls, and Sherry vinegars mixed together for a fabulous union.

Once my basic vinaigrette is complete, I often reserve some in a jar, and then add any of an endless array of other savories to the remainder: black olive tapenade, artichoke paste, sun-dried tomato pesto, basil pesto, minced capers, harissa, assorted jams like fig or apricot, assorted chutneys like greengage plum and walnut, or pear cardamom, just to name a few. I make the condiment choice to suite my mood and to match what I'm cooking, whether seared scallops with caper pesto vinaigrette, steamed rockfish with black olive tapenade, or semi-boned quail grilled with fig jam vinaigrette.

Finally, don't be afraid to experiment. I also like to dress steamed or roasted potatoes with some of the same vinaigrette that I've used for the main course. Having the classic base vinaigrette at hand makes menu planning for the week a breeze.