How to Make a Vinaigrette to Taste Like Toasted Butter
Toasted butter is often used to make the rich richer and the decadent sweeter, but its true strength lies in giving a little depth to a large stack of fresh, vibrant foods. While I wouldn’t blame you for pouring a bunch of melted toasted butter into a salad, this vinaigrette requires a more balanced (or, as some would say, “socially acceptable”) approach.
A good salad dressing is a balanced blend of fat, acid, salt, and sweetness, while a nutty addition comes from a blend of toasted butter and walnut oil. (Walnut oil not only tastes divine, but helps keep the flow going.) The result is a vinaigrette that made me miss a whole head of radicchio in one sitting. To make enough for a large plate of salad, you will need:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons white wine or dry vermouth
- 2 tablespoons of walnut oil (olive oil can be used as a last resort, but it will slightly hide the nutty flavor).
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (preferably Meyer’s lemon)
- 4 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- A pinch of salt
- 10 freshly ground pepper hammers
Fry the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden brown. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until it is also golden brown. Pour the oil into a large, wide cup (which will fit the head of a hand blender) or your blender. Deglaze the pan with wine or vermouth, then cover with oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk in a blender or hand blender.
Pour it over a bunch of plant parts and consume. This rich, nutty, slightly sweet dressing is best for bitter buddies like strong radicchio or pepper arugula, but in fact, just about any green salad (even kale) will do. ( Maybe avoid romance though. )