Name: Lemon Vinaigrette
Total time: 15 min
Yield: Serves 4 (Makes about 1/4 cup, enough to dress 8 to 10 cups of greens)
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest; 1/2 teaspoon regular or light mayonnaise; 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard; Pinch sugar; 1/8 teaspoon table salt; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Why This Recipe Works

To come up with a well-balanced vinaigrette recipe that wouldn’t separate, we chose high-end oil and lemon juice and whisked them together with a little mayonnaise, which acts as an emulsifier. All we had to do to finish our perfect vinaigrette recipe was choose the flavoring ingredients.

Before You Begin

It is important to use high-quality ingredients in this recipe. This dressing is best on mild greens. For a hint of garlic flavor, rub the inside of the salad bowl with a clove of garlic before adding the lettuce.

Instructions

Combine lemon juice, zest, mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper to taste in small nonreactive bowl. Whisk until mixture is milky in appearance and no lumps of mayonnaise remain.

Place oil in small measuring cup so that it is easy to pour. Whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle oil into lemon juice mixture. If pools of oil are gathering on surface as you whisk, stop addition of oil and whisk mixture well to combine, then resume whisking in oil in slow stream. Vinaigrette should be glossy and lightly thickened, with no pools of oil on its surface.