Food - Drink
The Flavorful Ingredient Giada De Laurentiis Uses To Boost Vinaigrette
By EMILY BOYETTE
Vinaigrette generally refers to a tangy salad dressing that uses vinegar and oil, and the "perfect" ratio is usually three parts oil to one part vinegar. These dressings often require whisking, pulsing in a blender, or shaking in a jar so the oil and water will come together, and Giada De Laurentiis knows how to make the effort worth it.
Most cooks experiment with the vinegar in vinaigrettes to change the flavors, defecting to plain olive oil for the other part of the dressing, but the type of oil you use can change the outcome, as well. De Laurentiis suggests using infused olive oil — she prefers garlic-infused oil — in vinaigrettes to take your dressing up a notch.
While the celebrity chef likes using garlic, you should adjust the flavor of your oil based on how it will accompany the other ingredients. If you prefer an earthy flavor, try basil or thyme-infused olive oil, and if you can't find or make infused oils, try mixing plain olive oil with flavored essential oils, such as lemon, lime, or ginger.