The term "" has a different meaning in France than it does in the U.S. or the U.K. The original salad dressing from France is just a few ingredients, perhaps seasoned with salt and pepper. The American and British versions include a variety of spices and flavors added to the original recipe. Here are three recipes inspired by French cuisine that are all tasty ways to dress your salad.
France
The French dressing that started it all is a basic vinaigrette. A vinaigrette is simply an emulsion of oil and vinegar. An emulsion is a blending of two materials that will not mix. Left to settle, an emulsion will fully separate into its components. French variations to this basic recipe include the addition of basic herbs or mustard. This lightly flavored salad dressing is perfect for highlighting top-quality produce in a salad. This style of dressing is usually made fresh, not bottled in advance. Make your own homemade vinaigrette by mixing 1/4 cup white vinegar, 3/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons of finely minced shallot and 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard. Shake the ingredients to emulsify; add salt and pepper to taste.
United Kingdom
If you order French dressing in the U.K., you will get something a bit different. Make the base for the U.K.'s French dressing with a 1/4 cup lemon juice, red vinegar or white vinegar, plus 3/4 cup vegetable oil. To this base, add 2 tablespoons , 1/2 teaspoon of British mustard and 1/4 teaspoon of dry thyme and oregano. This version has a green color due to the herbs, and is mass produced and bottled in England. Emulsifiers are added to the dressing to keep the ingredients from separating in the bottle. Natural emulsifying proteins attach to an oil molecule on one side and an acid molecule on the other, binding the mixture together.
United States
Not green like the British version or mostly clear like the French version, America's French dressing is usually a red-orange color and contains many more ingredients. Homemade American-style French dressing can be made by mixing 1 cup white vinegar with 2 1/2 cups salad oil. To this mixture, add 1 cup sugar, 1 cup ketchup, 1 grated medium onion and its juice, 1 clove finely minced garlic, 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 3 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 3/4 teaspoon of ground cloves. This dressing is often mass produced and sold in bottles with an added emulsifier like xanthan gum to keep the mix stable. American salads tend to be more robust and ingredient heavy. A sweet and heavily spiced dressing such as this one won't get lost in a flavorful salad.
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