It is so easy to make a vinaigrette, the classic French salad dressing, that I can’t fathom why so many people living alone go out and buy bottled dressings. Not only do they pay more, but the dressing never tastes as fresh, and you can’t vary the seasonings as you wish. So I beg you to make your own vinaigrette as part of your cooking life. The amounts I’m giving will be enough to dress two or three small salads, but you can double or triple the quantities if you’re an avid salad consumer and want enough dressing to see you through the week. Just refrigerate the extra in a jar, tightly sealed.

　　

Ingredients

1/4 teaspoon salt

　　1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard

　　1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

　　3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

　　

Step 1

Put the salt, mustard, and vinegar in a small jar (I find an empty Dijon-mustard jar a good size), and shake it to dissolve the salt. Pour in the olive oil, and shake again thoroughly. Now taste, and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Pour about 1 tablespoon over your salad, toss thoroughly, and taste again to determine how much more you want to add.

　　

Variations and Additions

Step 2

Try using fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar to vary the flavor, starting with 2 teaspoons and adding more after you’ve tasted. The lemon accent is particularly pleasant with young greens, but I prefer a good wine vinegar for everyday use.

　　

Step 3

White-wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, and occasionally a good balsamic are all welcome for a change.

　　

Step 4

Add a small, finely chopped shallot (or a portion of a large one) to the vinaigrette, and shake well. Or, if you want a more assertive dressing, mash a small clove of garlic with a little salt, and shake that up with the dressing. It is better to add both shallots and garlic shortly before dressing the salad, because they don’t keep well in the dressing, even if it’s refrigerated.

　　

Step 5

The same goes for herbs; if you want to add a little fresh tarragon or basil or dill, do it just before dressing.

　　

Step 6

Some cooks prefer to make their dressing in a salad bowl, then plop the greens on top and toss. But I find that you are less in control, not knowing how much dressing you’ll need for the amount of greens you’ll be using. Better to use the Italian method, which is to salt the salad lightly, then slowly pour on enough olive oil to lightly coat the greens, and finally sprinkle on just enough vinegar to add the zest—all the time tossing and tasting.

　　The Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones. Copyright © 2009 by Judith Jones. Published by Knopf. All Rights Reserved.Judith Jones is senior editor and vice president at Alfred A. Knopf. She is the author of The Tenth Muse: My Life in Food and the coauthor with Evan Jones (her late husband) of three books: The Book of Bread; Knead It, Punch It, Bake It!; and The Book of New New England Cookery. She also collaborated with Angus Cameron on The L. L. Bean Game and Fish Cookbook, and has contributed to Vogue, Saveur, and Gourmet magazines. In 2006, she was awarded the James Beard Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in New York City and Vermont.