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olive oil for vinaigrettes


AlaMoi

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I like to home spin our salad dressings - in some cases absolutely essential. 

example:  Caesar salad

we actually _like_ anchovy - I've never found a commercial variety with more than a far off hint, so I do it up at home using flats from can - any extra goes on saltines for a snack....

 

I use plain ole' virgin(?) olive oil for saute, frying, etc.  I use extra virgin for drizzles.

so one day I made up the Caesar dressing with Kirkland EVOO.

I was struck by the very noticeable difference in how it incorporated / created a much creamery (and stable) vinaigrette.

 

it this something well know that I've missed on the way to the Forum?

 

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I only use extra virgin in general though Kirkland and I do not party (I am an odd woman).  I save my favorite Cretan for times when I will really appreciate its special notes. 

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In my experience, EVOOs are all over the board in flavor (grassy to fruity) and viscosity.   You may well find differences in emulsifying abilities.   If you want a "creamy", well emulsifies dressing, use an immersion blender.   Or simply whisk it for an eternity.

eGullet member #80.

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2 minutes ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

In my experience, EVOOs are all over the board in flavor (grassy to fruity) and viscosity.   You may well find differences in emulsifying abilities.   If you want a "creamy", well emulsifies dressing, use an immersion blender.   Or simply whisk it for an eternity.

I never have a problem shaking it in a jar; a little mustard and it emulsifies beautifully. I always have a small jar of home-made vinaigrette in the frigo. Only use allegedly extra-virgin olive oils for everything calling for olive oil.

Peanut, sunflower, safflower, avo, etc. all available here for different types of salad dressing, stir-frying, etc.

 

I like to keep a few on the counter like...

 

IMG_2780.thumb.JPG.3625c8d51d0a9922d6dd6fe0e8c5a6ea.JPG

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Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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from tasting bars it's clear evoo's are a very diverse group.

I have both a immersion blender and a one-cup 'food processor' - which is really good for small qtys.

 

I was just curious if there's some known 'common factor' that distinguishes  how evoo vs 'just virgin' reacts in an emulsion.

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2 hours ago, Margaret Pilgrim said:

Quite right.    We've basically come to dressing each salad from scratch in the bowl, well, green salads.    Salt and pepper, a favorite EVOO, vinegar of the moment.    At this moment we are enjoying Banyuls, a soft red.  

 

In the colder weather, I tend to go with less tender greens, which yearn for the slightly stronger, mustardy dressing. It's also really nice on the carottes râpées. I recently ordered some of the California Olive Ranch "olio nuovo" - they were running some sort of deal, and I like their stuff for everyday use. My other go-tos are ZOE from Portugal and Partanna from Sicily (both in cans, which I think keeps the oil in better shape, at least until opening). They're all reasonably priced, so I don't feel like I have to use an eye dropper like with the fancy schmancy oil and Balsamico I have. In my opinion, once these oils are open, you gotta use 'em...they don't get better sitting in the pantry, and my kitchen is warm.

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Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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I've also, certainly during lockdown, been splitting orders of different things with friends (butters, oils, spices, saffron, etc.). That way, we're not overwhelmed with product, there tends to be a discount for buying more, and the shipping is often free over a certain amount, so it works out nicely.  But they'll have to pry my Rancho Gordo beans out of my cold, dead hands!

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Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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My secret to creamy and stable emulsified vinaigrettes? Add a tablespoon or so of store bought mayonnaise to the mix. 

The word on the street is that you should avoid emulsifying EVOO in the blender, as it makes the phenols become bitter. Whether or not it changes things enough to bother you will depend on the olive oil and your palate, of course. I never bother blending for salad dressings, but do it sometimes if I'm making mayo.

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My vinaigrettes never have vinegar in them.  I use standard Kirkland olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice, fresh garlic, Dijon mustard, s&p.  I beat it with a fork.  Ta da!    I don't store it, just make enough for the salad we are having. 

 

I buy MXN  extravirgin olive oil and use it for drizzles, etc.  This one.  Mexico's Olivo del Cielo is pressed only once and only at night. Truly artisanal product grown in the perfect soil and weather of southern Tamaulipas, near Tula.

olive oil.jpg

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Having grown with the go-to salad dressing being just un-emulsified EVOO and lemon, I haven't come to really care about sauces being emulsified. I guess this is also because we rarely have a very "leafy" salads. I guess I'd will prefer an emulsified sauce for this use.

~ Shai N.

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On 12/3/2020 at 6:20 PM, btbyrd said:

My secret to creamy and stable emulsified vinaigrettes? Add a tablespoon or so of store bought mayonnaise to the mix. 

The word on the street is that you should avoid emulsifying EVOO in the blender, as it makes the phenols become bitter. Whether or not it changes things enough to bother you will depend on the olive oil and your palate, of course. I never bother blending for salad dressings, but do it sometimes if I'm making mayo.

Sure - but is it truly a vinaigrette once you add the mayo? Or is it a mayogrette?

Edited by weinoo (log)
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Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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I don’t get all this blending and whisking. I just put the ingredients in a jar and shake it like crazy for a few seconds. Everything emulsifies  fine, especially with a dab of mustard in the jar. 

Edited by Rickbern (log)
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3 hours ago, Rickbern said:

I don’t get all this blending and whisking. I just put the ingredients in a jar and shake it like crazy for a few seconds. Everything emulsifies  fine, especially with a dab of mustard in the jar. 

 

You mean like this?

 

On 12/3/2020 at 1:44 PM, weinoo said:

I never have a problem shaking it in a jar; a little mustard and it emulsifies beautifully.

 

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Mitch Weinstein aka "weinoo"

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Was it you baby...or just a Brilliant Disguise?

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