About the Recipe
One of my culinary passions is making my own of whatever it may be instead of buying it pre-made. I was inspired by an off-the-shelf vinaigrette that I really liked, so I took the idea into the lab and experimented with reproducing it, based on the ingredients list. After a few iterations, this recipe was born and I find it even better than the store-bought dressing that brought about its creation. Of course, I couldn't resist straying off the beaten path and adding my own touch to it.
Ingredients
1 ¾ - 2 cups of water
¾ cup of extra light olive oil
2 tablespoons of uncooked rice
40 grams of feta cheese, chopped
~15 grams of finely chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons of white vinegar
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of MSG
¼ teaspoon of garlic oil
¼ teaspoon of light, naturally brewed soy sauce
¼ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon of celery seed
A pinch of ground, black pepper
➡️ Prepare all of your ingredients in advance (Mise en Place).
Preparation
➡️ Please read the entire recipe before proceeding.
There are 3 basic processes to this recipe:
Most vinaigrettes will separate when left to rest. A stock made from rice or cornmeal helps the liquids and the oil bind together, giving the dressing a creamy consistency after blending. In addition, it won't re-separate as quickly as it would without a starchy stock of some kind. Although it will still separate when sitting in the refrigerator, the nice consistency it creates is well worth the effort of putting it back in the blender for 30-45 seconds before serving it. As an alternative to the blender, you can always put it in a bottle or container and shake it vigorously, like you would with an off-the-shelf vinaigrette.
Options: The stock can also be made using 1 or 2 tablespoons of cornmeal instead of rice, or a combination of cornmeal and rice. The advantage of using a starchy stock is that it really helps bind the liquids and oil together and the dressing takes on a creamy consistency after blending. In my experiments, I have determined that the creamy texture last longer with a cornmeal stock before separating than it does with the rice stock. However, I have also learned that the disadvantage is, the cornmeal stock becomes very thick in the refrigerator and you have to let the dressing warm up on the countertop a while before blending it back into shape.
If you want to make a cornmeal stock using 2 tablespoons of cornmeal, you will have to add a bit of extra water (¼ - ½ cup). If you want to go with a thinner stock, use 1 tablespoon of cornmeal and 1¾ cups of water.
If you want to try a combination stock, I would recommend using 2 tablespoons of rice, 1 tablespoon of cornmeal and 2 cups of water. Options are fun. This stock is a key ingredient for making a variety of vinaigrettes. Set your imagination free, take the idea into your own food lab and have fun doing it.
Making Rice Stock
Bring 1 ¾ cups of water to a light boil in a small saucepot.
Once the water boils, add 2 tablespoons of uncooked rice that has been rinsed with cold water.
Let it boil for 15 minutes, stirring periodically.
Remove from heat and strain the rice out of the water using a fine mesh strainer.
Measure one cup of the resulting stock and set it aside.
The rice will not be required and can be eaten/discarded.
Add the salt and umami powder (MSG) to the hot brine and stir it a bit to dissolve them.
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of umami powder (MSG)
Optional Alternative
If you want to be adventurous and try a cornmeal stock instead of a rice stock, or a combination of the 2, take a look at the slideshow below. It depicts the same simple process using cornmeal instead of rice to make the stock. Otherwise, move on to "Making Oregano Stock".
Making Oregano Stock
In a small saucepot, combine 2 tablespoons of water with one teaspoon of dried oregano.
Bring to a light boil and let it simmer for 4 minutes.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Making the Vinaigrette
Finely chop about 40 grams of feta cheese.
You don't really have to chop the feta since it will be going into a blender but it ensures that the cheese will be evenly granulated in the dressing.
Finely chop 4-6 grams of red bell pepper.
This ingredient is mainly esthetic. However, you can add more to give the dressing added flavor.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients:
All of the oregano reduction, along with the oregano
1 cup of rice stock (or other stock) with salt and umami powder.
½ cup of extra light olive oil or grapeseed oil
40 grams of chopped feta cheese
15 grams of finely chopped red bell pepper
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
¼ teaspoon of garlic oil
¼ teaspoon of light, naturally brewed soy sauce
¼ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon of celery seed
A pinch of ground, black pepper
Pour the contents into a blender and blend for about 1 minute.
Pour the dressing into a container and refrigerate.
Like most vinaigrettes, the dressing will separate as it settles in the refrigerator. Before serving it, you can either shake the container, pour it into a bowl and whisk it or pour it into the blender and give it a whirl for 15-30 seconds.
