The secret to a creamy, emulsified dressing or vinaigrette is mustard. You’ve probably noticed that when you combine oil and vinegar in a bowl they form separate layers. If you whisk the mixture it will combine only for a brief period, then separate out again. Mustard helps thicken liquid sauces by absorbing some of the liquid and allows the suspension of one liquid in another. Try this savory-sweet combination over crisp salad greens or buttercup lettuce or as a dipping sauce for the Oven-fried Chicken Breasts with Pecan Crust (page 102). If Vidalias are unavailable, use another sweet onion, such as Walla Walla or Texas Sweet.

Ingredients

　　1/2 onion, preferably Vidalia, quartered

　　2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

　　2 tablespoons honey (preferably tupelo, orange blossom, or sweet clover)

　　1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

　　1/2 cup canola oil

　　1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)

　　Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　Place the onion in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse until smooth. Add the vinegar, honey, and mustard and puree until smooth. Add the oil in a slow steady stream until the mixture is thick and emulsified. Taste and adjust for seasoning with sugar, salt, and pepper. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

　　From Bon Appétit, Y’all: Recipes and Stories From Three Generations of Southern Cooking, © 2008 by Virginia Willis. Reprinted by permission of Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Abe Books.