Apple Cider Vinaigrette

With concentrated apple flavor, this dressing is one of my household staples.  Whether I serve greens with a crunchy nut and seed topping or a grain salad with roasted vegetables, it enhances the ingredients while offering a delicious flavor all its own.  Unlike an apple cider vinaigrette recipe made with mainly oil and vinegar, this version includes a cider reduction for the most satisfying apple goodness.

Homemade dressings make any salad tastier and come together so quickly they are worth the extra step.  In the farro version pictured below, apple cider is a natural pairing as it enhances the sweetness of pear and butternut squash while balancing the bitterness of the greens.  Cheese in the forms of crumbled goat cheese, sliced Manchego, thick cheddar shavings, and many others also are enhanced by apple.

With so many flavorful components in a dish, a dressing that ties everything together is a must.  This one is so versatile you can even drizzle it over roasted vegetables. 

Ingredients

1 cup apple cider
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper and additional kosher salt to taste

How to Make a Cider Reduction

When apple cider is cooked down until much of the liquid evaporates, its flavor becomes more intense while still retaining freshness.  For this apple cider vinaigrette recipe, the cider should be cooked until it is reduced to ¼ cup.  Make sure to use a cider whose flavor you truly enjoy as the flavor will become more pronounced as it concentrates.

Bring the apple cider to a boil in a small saucepan and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes until it is reduced to ¼ cup.  Use a heatproof liquid measuring cup to check the amount of cider periodically.  Set aside to cool before proceeding with the rest of the recipe.

How to Make Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Combine the reduced and cooled cider, oil, vinegar, mustard, and salt using an immersion blender and cup or a stand blender until emulsified.  This results in the creamiest texture. Alternately use a whisk to emulsify dressing, adding slowly oil as the last ingredient.

Season with freshly cracked black pepper and additional salt to taste. Let sit for about 15 minutes to allow time for flavors to meld.

Tips for Making Vinaigrettes

In addition to my household staple apple cider vinaigrette, I make a variety of dressing for salads throughout the week. Here are some tips to help you make your own delicious dressings at home.

• Begin with a ratio of 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar and add more acid if necessary, keeping in mind that beyond more vinegar, citrus, and even ingredients such as mustard may lend the additional acid to suit your preference.
• Taste the dressing on lettuce or the base ingredients on which it will be used. While a dressing may be perfect on its own, its contribution to a finished dish is easier to determine when tasted on those ingredients. Simply dip a piece of lettuce in the dressing or spoon a small amount over one of the key components in your salad. Adjust the flavor as necessary after tasting.
• Incorporate a bit of sweetness in the form of maple syrup, honey, or even sweet citrus juice to lend balance to a vinaigrette.
• Consider using an immersion blender and cup or stand blender to make a dressing with a creamier texture that does not separate. While everything from whisking to shaking vinaigrettes in a glass jar will bring them together, I find a blended dressing not only has a great texture but comes together reliably and stays emulsified.
• If storing a vinaigrette for later use, keep in mind that it may solidify in the refrigerator partly or entirely. Allow it to warm up at room temperature then whisk again so it returns to a texture that can be easily drizzled.

For another dressing recipe with irresistible flavor, try the cherry tomato vinaigrette in this grilled nectarine and arugula salad.