Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

Last summer I took a French cooking class at a local French restaurant. We were taught to make a mustard vinaigrette with the same recipe that the owner's family used in their cafe in Lyon, France. The problem was that the handouts distributed in class were only a partial ingredient list, not a true recipe. The whole time we were cooking, I was furiously scribbling notes. I was frantic not to miss out on any of the ingredients or steps.

After the class, I thought about about this recipe often. But I didn't feel like giving it the ol' college try until this week. And to my delight it turned out just as wonderful as I remembered. I'm really digging having it on my salads and sandwiches, though it would also be a great dipping sauce or dressing for chicken. You really can't go wrong with this simple, flexible dressing.

Dijon Mustard Vinaigrette

1 ½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ cup Dijon mustard
½ tablespoon Herbs de Provence
2 tablespoons white wine
¼ to ¾ cup vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Whisk first 4 ingredients together in bowl until well mixed. Slowly add in oil (don’t add in all at once!), mixing well after each addition, until the vinaigrette reaches the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.