Farmer’s Market Dinner

Serendipity. One of my favorite words. Just saying it makes me happy, the way it rolls off the tongue. And when it actually happens in my life? Well, that’s a big bonus.

Yesterday, I grabbed a bag of arugula at the farmer’s market on a last-minute impulse. Later, at home, I visited a blog I hadn’t gone to in a while. While I was distressed to read all that’s gone on for Jennifer – and got waaaay too caught up in reading about the apparent scoundrel who stole one of her pictures – I also read back a few months in her posts.

And she made me want salad for dinner. And homemade vinaigrette. And I had great ingredients in the house. Wow.

I searched and searched her site for a recipe for even one of the vinaigrettes she mentions making, and she mentions vinaigrettes a lot. But, alas, it wasn’t meant to be. Couldn’t find a one. So, in spite of the fact that I am always disappointed in vinaigrette recipes (too mustardy, too much garlic, too oily, too sweet, too sour, never just right), I googled basic vinaigrette. And I found it. The perfect-for-me vinaigrette.

I really, really should have known. It was a Julia Child recipe. I should have started there years ago. Because it’s perfectly balanced. But I changed it a bit, to be more perfectly balanced for me. Of course. So here’s what I made, what I ate on my perfectly serendipitous salad last night, and what I ate again tonight. I’m sure I will make it a thousand times, and tweak it each time, and that’s the beauty of a basic vinaigrette. Thank you, Julia.

Basic Vinaigrette Dressing
adapted from Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom, by Julia Child

1 clove minced roasted garlic
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1/3 cup really good olive oil
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tsp minced fresh basil
Freshly ground pepper

Shake all ingredients together in a glass jar (no oil added-in-a-slow-stream and whisking forever for me!), taste, and adjust seasonings so that it becomes perfect for you.