Equipment
Ingredients
Base Vinaigrette
- 45 ml apple cider vinegar, room temperature
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 15 ml maple syrup
- 120 ml extra virgin olive oil, liquid
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Fresh Aromatics & Fruit
- 1 shallot, minced
- 50 g apple, finely diced (brunoise)
- 40 g red currants, fresh or frozen
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 148 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 2 g
- Sodium
- 112 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 41 mg
- Calcium
- 8 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 2 mg
- Phosphorus
- 5 mg
- Zinc
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 10 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.01 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.03 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 1 mcg
- Water
- 17 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the aromatics: Peel and mince the shallot. Finely dice the apple into tiny 2-3mm cubes (brunoise). Wash and destem the red currants.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Whisk vigorously until the salt is dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
Add the minced shallot and diced apple to the vinegar mixture immediately. Stir to coat.
While whisking continuously, slowly stream in the extra virgin olive oil to create an emulsion. The mixture should thicken slightly and become glossy.
Gently fold in the red currants. Lightly press a few currants against the side of the bowl with a spoon to burst them and release their pink juice, but keep most whole for texture.
Chef's Notes
- If fresh red currants are unavailable, you can use frozen ones (thawed) or substitute with pomegranate arils for a similar jewel-like appearance, though the flavor will be sweeter.
- For a smoother dressing, you can blend all ingredients except the oil and currants, then stream in the oil, and stir the whole currants in at the end.
- This vinaigrette pairs exceptionally well with endive, radicchio, or kale, as the sweetness balances bitter greens perfectly.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Shake well before serving as separation is natural. Apples may soften slightly over time.
Troubleshooting
Vinaigrette has separated/broken
Cause: Oil was added too quickly or mixture sat for too long
Fix: Whisk vigorously again right before serving; vinaigrettes naturally separate over time
Prevention: Add oil in a very slow, steady stream while whisking rapidly
Taste is too sharp or acidic
Cause: Currants were extra tart or vinegar was too strong
Fix: Add an extra teaspoon of maple syrup or a splash more olive oil to balance
Prevention: Taste the currants before adding
Cultural Context
While the classic vinaigrette structure is distinctly French (3 parts oil to 1 part acid), the incorporation of whole fruits like currants and apples nods to modern 'agrodolce' (sour-sweet) profiles popular in contemporary farm-to-table cuisine, celebrating autumn harvest ingredients.
