MY MOTHER SAUCE In the early days of my career while working at Symphony Café in New York City, I was promoted to one of the most esteemed positions in a professional kitchen: saucier, a.k.a. “the guy who makes all the sauces.” It’s an important gig, especially in a French kitchen, because sauces go with everything. And I credit my stint as a saucier with helping shape my kitchen confidence. Established more than one hundred years ago, the five classic mother sauces are velouté, espagnole, sauce tomat, béchamel, and hollandaise. And with the addition of meat, herbs, spices, or vegetables, they can be spun into so many offspring!
While I am as old-school as they come, I do take a modern approach to including mayonnaise and vinaigrette on my list of mother sauces. Think about it: You can transform a basic homemade or store-bought mayonnaise with herbs or pesto and you can cook with it (Halibut with Basil Pesto, Sweet Corn, and Pea Salad, page 177). It’s totally legit! This Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette is the base from which all of my dressings start; you can add anchovies to it (Grilled Scallops with Chicories, Bread Crumbs, and Anchovy Dressing, page 175); combine it with cranberry sauce (Thanksgiving Bibb and Beets, page 77), lemon and poppyseeds (Spinach, Avocado, and Strawberries with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing, page 73), or truffle oil (Long Island Duck Breast with Cherries and Arugula, page 153); and even use it as a marinade to cook with (Salad Dressing Chicken with Escarole and White Beans, page 142). With space so limited at Little Owl and at home, creating Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette is my finest example of necessity being the mother (sauce) of invention. I hope you love it as much as I do! Note: See the subrecipes for a handy reference for smaller batch versions—I did the work for you, because we’re good friends.
3/4 CUP [180 ML]
1/4 cup [60 ml] sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 shallot, finely diced
1/2 cup [120 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 CUP [120 ML]
1/4 cup [60 ml] sherry vinegar
2 tsp honey
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 shallot, finely diced
1/4 [60 ml] cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 CUP [60 ML]
2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, finely diced
1/4 cup [60 ml] extra-virgin olive oil
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, honey, mustard, and shallot and whisk to blend. Slowly add the oil and whisk until combined. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate indefinitely until ready to use. Once opened, it will keep for up to 2 weeks.