Vinaigrette - general principles of cooking
Vinaigrette is a popular dish among the former Soviet Union, the main components of which are the following vegetables: beets, carrots, potatoes, onions, sauerkraut and pickled cucumbers. This set of products is the basis of the classic version of the preparation of the salad. Salted herring, boiled fish, salmon, canned green pot, pickled mushrooms or beans are also allowed. If salted fish is used, sauerkraut is usually not added. Dress the salad with a mixture of vinegar and any vegetable oil, adding salt and black pepper. Sometimes mustard and yolks are added to the dressing. By the way, the name of the dish was borrowed from French cuisine: this is the name of the French sauce made from olive oil and white wine vinegar (vinaigrette). Many people fill this salad. You can find recipes in which even natural unsweetened yogurt is used for refueling - it all depends on the taste preferences of the chef.
Vinaigrette - preparation of products and dishes
The main preparation time of the salad is the preparation of vegetables. Therefore, it is recommended to do this in advance. Potatoes, beets and carrots should be thoroughly rinsed from dirt and put on a low heat in separate pans. Cooked and peeled vegetables are cut into cubes or small slices. You can also not cook, and bake vegetables in the oven. If fish is used in a salad, all bones and skin are removed from it. With canned food (mushrooms, beans, peas) drain liquid. After all the products are prepared, you can begin to prepare a vinaigrette.
From the dishes you will need a pan (not one), a bowl or a small basin, a salad bowl, a knife and a cutting board. For the preparation of refills you will need a small bowl, preferably with a lid. Serve the dish on ordinary plates.
Vinaigrette Recipes:
Recipe 1: Vinaigrette
The most common version of the salad. The composition of the salad includes potatoes, beets, onions, cucumbers and sauerkraut. Preparing the dish rather quickly, if you prepare all the vegetables in advance. Ingredients Required:
- Beets - 150 g;
- Potatoes - 320 g;
- Salted cucumbers - 300 g;
- Pickled cabbage - 300 g;
- Onion bulb - 140-150 g;
- Sunflower oil - for refueling.
Preparation Method:
Potatoes and beets thoroughly wash and set to cook. When the vegetables are ready, remove the pans from the heat (cook them separately from each other) and leave to cool. Cleaned potatoes and beets clean and cut into small cubes (or thin small slices). Salted cucumbers cut into small cubes, then lightly squeeze. Onions also cut into small cubes. If the cucumbers are rather large, with a thick skin or a large number of seeds, the skin should be cleaned and the seeds removed. If in sauerkraut there are large chunks - cut. Too sour cabbage can be rinsed with cool water and pressed. Mix all the vegetables in a small bowl, add some salt and season with vegetable oil. Vinaigrette served, garnished with parsley sprigs.
Recipe 2: Vinaigrette with fish
Very unusual, but incredibly delicious recipe for vinaigrette. The composition of the dish, in addition to vegetables, also includes mushrooms and fish. You need to fill this salad with two different sauces, the methods of preparation of which can be found in the recipe itself.
Ingredients Required:
For salad:
- Fish - 1kg;
- Beetroot - 4 small pieces;
- Potatoes - 4 pcs .;
- Salted cucumbers - 4 pcs .;
- Fresh cucumbers - 3 pcs .;
- Marinated mushrooms - 100 g (mushrooms or champignons will do);
- Olives - 100 g;
- White wine.
For sauce No. 1 (hot sauce):
- Mustard - 2 tsp;
- Sugar - 2 tsp;
- Salt - to taste;
- Olive oil (can be replaced with corn oil) - 150 g;
- Vinegar - to taste.
For sauce No. 2 (“Provencal”):
- Olive (corn) oil - 400 g;
- Yolks - 2 pcs .;
- Sugar - 1 tbsp. l .;
- Mustard - to taste;
- Vinegar - to taste;
- Lemon juice - to taste;
- Salt - to taste;
- Pepper - to taste;
- Chopped parsley - 1 tsp.
Preparation Method:
Remove the skin from the fish fillet and select the bones, cut the fillets into thin but wide slices (the knife should be kept tilted). Fillet cut, starting from the head. Take a large enameled baking dish, brush it with oil and put fish pieces there. Roll each piece in a small amount of salt and pepper, sprinkle with lemon juice and white wine. Put the fish to bake in the oven on low heat until cooked. Ready to cool the fish. Next, boil the potatoes and beets until ready, let them cool, peel and cut into slices of the same size, and then cut each circle into long strips. Fresh and pickled cucumbers cut in the same way, after clearing them from the skin. Put all the vegetables in a bowl and season with spicy sauce number 1.
Sauce number 1: Grind the mustard, salt and sugar until smooth, gradually pour in the oil, without ceasing to stir the sauce. Add vinegar to taste.
Sauce number 2: Grind the yolks with sugar, salt, mustard and pepper. Gradually add vegetable oil, then add lemon juice and vinegar to taste. pour greens and mix everything thoroughly.
Put vegetables mixed with spicy sauce on a dish, grease them with a thick layer of sauce No. 2 (“Provensal”), spread baked fish, mushrooms and olives on top, smear Provensal again so that the products are not visible. Sprinkle the dish with chopped greens and put the salad in the fridge to infuse.
Recipe 3: Seaweed Vinaigrette
Very satisfying and tasty dish, but due to the content of sea kale - also very useful. Serve this salad can be for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients Required:
- Marinated sea kale - 150 g;
- 3 carrots;
- 3 beets;
- 3 potatoes;
- 2 cucumbers;
- Green and onions - 100 g;
- Vinegar - 2 tbsp. l .;
- Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l .;
- Salt - to taste;
- Sugar - to taste;
- Pepper - to taste.
Preparation Method:
Potatoes, beets and carrots are thoroughly washed, cooked until ready, let the vegetables cool, peel and cut into thin slices. My cucumbers and cut in the same way. Onions clean and finely chopped. Put boiled vegetables, onions and sea kale in a salad bowl. Season the dish with vegetable oil, add sugar, salt and pepper, mix everything as it should. Sprinkle the finished dish with green onion rings.
Recipe 4: Squid Vinaigrette
This kind of salad is also suitable for the holiday table. The composition of the salad, in addition to vegetables, includes squid, which makes the snack more tasty and nutritious.
Ingredients Required:
- Squids - 3 carcasses;
- 4 potatoes;
- 2 carrots;
- 2 beets;
- Salted cucumber - 1 pc .;
- Onions - 2 heads;
- Vegetable oil - 4 tbsp. l .;
- Ground black pepper;
- Dill.
Preparation Method:
From squid we peel off the film, put it in boiling salted water and cook for 3 minutes. The cooled seafood is cut into thin strips across the fibers. Cook potatoes, beets and carrots, cool, peel and cut into small cubes. Washed cucumber finely chopped. Onion finely shred. All the ingredients are put in a deep bowl, add salt, pepper and season with vegetable oil. All products are thoroughly mixed, ready to decorate the salad green dill.
Recipe 5: Beetroot Vinaigrette
Beans of such a vinaigrette make the dish even tastier and more nutritious. Especially enjoy the recipe for vegetarians for whom beans are an excellent source of protein.
Ingredients Required:
- 1 small beets;
- 2 potatoes;
- 2 pickled cucumbers;
- Pickled mushrooms (champignons will do) - 80 g;
- 100 g beans;
- 1 onion;
- Salt and black pepper - to taste;
- Table vinegar (3%);
- Vegetable oil.
Preparation Method:
Potatoes and beets thoroughly wash and set to cook until tender. Then - cool, clean and cut into small cubes. Cooked vegetables should be in different pans. If desired, they can be baked in the oven. Beans are pre-soaked in the evening the day before cooking the salad (the beans must be soaked overnight). After - cook the beans until tender. If the skin of cucumbers is too thick, scrape them off and cut cucumbers into small cubes. Onions finely shred. Put all the vegetables, beans and mushrooms in the salad bowl, add salt and pepper. We make the dressing: shake the oil and vinegar in a closed container and fill the mixture with a vinaigrette. Salad should not be too sour. You can combine different proportions of oil and vinegar: if you want a softer taste - you should add more oil, a larger amount of vinegar will make the dish more sour.
Recipe 6: Herring Vinaigrette
This dish is also called “German-style” vinaigrette. The recipe was appreciated by many housewives and is now happy to cook it for holidays and on ordinary days.
Ingredients Required:
- Salted herring (fillet) - 200 g;
- 2 potatoes;
- 1 small beet;
- 2 carrots;
- Onion - 1 pc .;
- 2 pickled cucumbers;
- Bank of canned green peas;
- 2 tbsp. l 3% vinegar;
- Vegetable oil - 2 tbsp. l
Preparation Method:
Potatoes, beets and carrots are washed in running water, boiled until cooked, cooled, cleaned and cut into small cubes. Cucumbers also cut into cubes. Onions finely chopped. Herring fillet cut into small pieces. From the pot, decant the excess liquid. In a separate bowl, prepare the dressing: mix vinegar and oil, salt, pepper, add sugar and mix well. We spread potatoes, carrots, beets, peas, onions, fish and cucumbers in a salad bowl. Fill the dish with the prepared mixture of oil and vinegar and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Salad can be decorated with thin onion rings.
Recipe 7: Vinaigrette with meat and egg
All that distinguishes such a vinaigrette from the classic version is the presence of meat and eggs in the dish. However, these two products change the taste of the salad beyond recognition. The dish turns out very nourishing, tasty and nutritious.
Ingredients Required:
- Stew - 350 g;
- 6 potatoes;
- 3 pickled cucumbers;
- 1 small beet;
- 2 chicken eggs;
- A few feathers of green onions;
- A teaspoon of mustard;
- Salt, pepper;
- Half a cup of mayonnaise;
- 1 tablespoon of vinegar;
- Dill greens.
Preparation Method:
Cook potatoes and beets until ready, cool and clean. Cut the potatoes into thin slices. Cucumbers clean and cut just like potatoes. Cook hard-boiled eggs, pour water. Meat cut into small pieces. Meat, potatoes and cucumbers are piled in a bowl, dressed with mayonnaise, add pepper, salt, mustard and vinegar, mix everything properly. We spread the salad in a bowl in a salad bowl, top it with a dish of slices of eggs and boiled beets, sprinkle with small ringlets of green onions.
Vinaigrette - secrets and useful tips from the best chefs
Some tricks and useful tips will help to prepare a truly tasty, healthy and beautiful dish. Here are some of them:
- for the classic version of the salad, you should take onions a little more than other products, and carrots - less. If you do not want the onions to be strongly felt in the salad and not bitter, you need to chop it, and then pour it with boiling water (this will bring the extra bitterness, and the taste of the salad will become softer);
- so that the beets do not stain other vegetables, it should be cooked in a separate saucepan. Carrots and potatoes can be cooked together;
- and so that the beets are not dyed products in a salad bowl, it is cut first and mixed with vegetable oil;
- a dish in which pickles are present cannot be stored for a long time, as this is a perishable salad (you need to eat it within a day, even if it is stored in a refrigerator); - it is not recommended to use beet fodder varieties for making vinaigrette. Vegetable should be sweet, bright red. If the beets are not sweet enough, a tablespoon of sugar will help save the situation;
- If freshly boiled vegetables are dipped in cold water for a few minutes, they will be easier to clean. By the way, you need to cook vegetables in their skins, if you clean them beforehand, and then only cook - the taste of the dish will change significantly (and not for the better);
- the taste of the dish depends largely not only on the quality of the products, but also on the way of cutting. It is believed that the salad is the most delicious of finely chopped vegetables. However, you do not need to overdo it, otherwise the salad will look like a vegetable porridge;
- To make the salad even more tasty, it is recommended to let it stand for a couple of hours in the refrigerator. Vegetables soaked with dressing and juice of each other and become much richer and more aromatic;
- in order to prevent quick souring of lettuce, you need to cut only the cooled, cold vegetables, but not warm!
- so that the salad is not too “wet”, sauerkraut and shredded cucumbers are slightly squeezed out and only then added to the other ingredients;
- to preserve the beneficial properties of vegetables and vitamins will help cooking food in a double boiler. The taste of the dish at the same time significantly transformed - becomes more saturated, fresh and pronounced.
