The Multipurpose Mason Jar
Technique • Recipe
Mason Jar Vinaigrette
September 12, 2017 • By Seamus Mullen
Most people have a jar or two lying around the kitchen, and they often pile up in a drawer, unused. But they're great for more than just food storage! I make most of my vinaigrettes in a jar with a lid, and since I eat so many salads, the mason jar has become one of the most used "tools" in my kitchen.
Here’s my process:
- Use a dijon mustard jar with a little mustard left in the bottom.
- Add ¼ clove of garlic, grated on a microplane.
- Add chopped tarragon or basil, a pinch of sea salt and some cracked pepper.
- Fill the jar 1/3 of the way with vinegar (I like cider vinegar if I’m using mustard), then fill the rest with extra virgin olive oil and shake like a bar tender at Studio54, circa 1979. As opposed to using a blender, which bruises the oil and turns it bitter, shaking perfectly emulsifies the ingredients to create a creamy, well-mixed vinaigrette.
Sometimes I also add a little homemade mayonnaise or avocado mayonnaise for a green, creamy vinaigrette. For something totally different and tangy, try using kefir infused with garlic and herbs, then shake with olive oil at the very end.
Regardless of what ingredients go into the vinaigrette, I always shake it twice: once without the oil so the “base” elements come together, and then a second time to emulsify the oil into the base. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for later use.
