Vinaigrette is not only a delicious salad, but also an excellent dish for diet food. Its ingredients are simple, but rich in vitamins and minerals that every body needs. Following the recipe, you can get a wonderful low-calorie dish at home.
Cooking vinaigrette
The ingredients of the vinaigrette are best purchased in a store or market. Start by boiling pre-washed vegetables. You will need:
- beets - 3 small pieces,
- carrots - 2-3 pieces,
- potatoes - 4-5 pieces.
Cook potatoes and carrots together, but it is better to cook beets separately from other vegetables, so that each product retains its natural color. Cooked vegetables should be cooled, peeled and diced.
Next, add finely chopped onion and canned peas to them. The next ingredients are sauerkraut, pickles or pickled cucumbers. Some put 200-300 grams of cabbage, others cut 3-4 cucumbers, there are those who combine both of these products.
Each housewife has her own recipe for creating a vinaigrette. Instead of peas from a jar, you can, canned beans are perfect. An interesting solution would be to add boiled or smoked meat to the salad. Fans of original solutions put salted herring or smoked mackerel, and those who cannot imagine their diet without seafood can add boiled squid. If you want to add a special sourness to the dish, feel free to use a little lingonberry or ripe pomegranate grains. The berries are perfectly combined with all the ingredients and give the salad a special rich taste.
The main trick
The peculiarity of preparing vinaigrette is its dressing. Here each housewife has her own recipe. Ordinary vegetable oil is considered a classic addition to salad: sunflower, olive or flaxseed. But you should definitely try other interesting options so that the traditional dish will sound in a new way.
Butter plus lemon
Most sauces are based on vegetable oil. According to the recipe it will be required: 4 tbsp. spoons, plus 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of mustard. Shake the mixture and season the salad.
For the next option you will need: 4 tbsp. tablespoons of the main product, juice from half a lemon and a clove of garlic, which must be crushed. Sesame seeds will perfectly complement the aromatic dressing. Do not forget that this recipe contains a lot of acid, so it is not suitable for frequent use.
Mustard
Mustard will help you get a rich flavor. To make it, mix the oil with 100 grams of wine vinegar, preferably red, and a head of garlic. Then add 2 teaspoons of salt and sugar, and one mustard, the one with grains is best. Stir well and pour over the salad. There will be a lot of dressing, it is for a large amount of vinaigrette. The amount of ingredients for a smaller portion is very easy to calculate yourself, keeping the proportions.
Homemade mayonnaise
Supporters of mayonnaise use their favorite product as a dressing for vinaigrette. Store shelves are full of names of brands and manufacturers. But it is much more pleasant and healthier to make mayonnaise at home. You will need: 2 chicken yolks, 1 teaspoon of vinegar, the same amount of sugar and a pinch of salt. There are recipes in which the eggs can be used whole, then the mayonnaise will take on a lighter shade. Beat the ingredients with a blender or mixer, gently adding sunflower oil. Use any, but refined is better, without a pronounced aroma. The appearance of the mass will tell you when the homemade product is ready.
Sharper lovers
This easy and quick dressing is perfect for those who love spicy food. To make it, take 3 tablespoons of oil and 2 vinegar, a teaspoon each of sugar and mustard, a little black pepper and salt. Use a fork or whisk to whisk the mixture.
Another hot sauce is called Pepperoni. To do this, bake 1 ripe bell pepper in the oven. After cooling, grind it up. Add oil, vinegar, mustard, pepper and salt to the vegetable. Stir gently and pour over salad.
French dressing
This sauce is based on a successful combination of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. To three parts of the main product and one part of vinegar, add each spoonful of mustard, honey and a pinch of basil. You will get a dark liquid. The sauce is incredibly popular in France and is popular with Russian chefs.
Balsamic vinegar gives the dish an extraordinary aroma. On its basis, another homemade salad sauce is prepared. Take 3 tbsp. tablespoons of oil, one each vinegar and mustard, fresh lemon juice and a couple of chopped garlic cloves, salt and pepper to taste.
Egg sauce
To prepare this unusual sauce, you will need 1 hard-boiled chicken egg. Separate the yolk and add 4 tbsp. tablespoons of oil, a couple of tablespoons of vinegar, a spoonful of mustard, a pinch of salt and pepper. Beat the products by hand, at the end add the chopped protein to the mixture. The sauce is ready, pour it over the dish.
A few hours after dressing the vinaigrette, its components acquire an original reddish color. For serving, the finished dish is usually laid out in portions. In restaurants, chefs often serve a portion of salad in whole boiled beets, removing the middle beforehand.
The vinaigrette is good for any season. Vegetables cooked in the peel retain their value - vitamins of groups A, B, C, D and trace elements: calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and iodine. The finished salad is rich in carbohydrates, but there are few calories in it - up to 150 kcal per 100 grams of product. Its use promotes metabolism. Just remember that the finished dish should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than a day. The vinaigrette will be a great addition to the main table or a full-fledged independent dish. And the variety of dressings will help to make its taste new and interesting every time.
