Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 110 ml extra virgin olive oil, room temperature
- 45 ml tarragon vinegar
- 10 g dijon mustard
Aromatics & Seasoning
- 1 shallot, finely minced
- 5 g fresh tarragon, finely chopped
- 7 g maple syrup
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 103 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 128 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 25 mg
- Calcium
- 8 mg
- Iron
- 0.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 3 mg
- Phosphorus
- 2 mg
- Zinc
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 7 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.01 mg
- Niacin
- 0.0 mg
- Folate
- 1 mcg
- Water
- 7 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the finely minced shallot and tarragon vinegar in a small mixing bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes to macerate, which softens the raw bite of the onion.
Add the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, sea salt, and black pepper to the shallot and vinegar mixture. Whisk thoroughly to combine.
While whisking continuously and vigorously, slowly drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil until the dressing becomes thick, opaque, and fully emulsified. Ensure ingredients are around 20°C/68°F to help the emulsion hold.
Fold in the finely chopped fresh tarragon. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, adding more salt or pepper to suit your preference.
Chef's Notes
- Dijon mustard acts as an emulsifier in this recipe. Its mucilage content helps bind the oil and vinegar together, preventing them from separating.
- Using a high-quality extra virgin olive oil is critical as it makes up the bulk of the dressing. Look for an oil with buttery or grassy notes that won't overpower the delicate tarragon.
- If using dried tarragon in a pinch, reduce the quantity by two-thirds (about 1.5g), as dried herbs are significantly more potent than fresh.
- For a creamier variation, you can blend the dressing using an immersion blender, though this will turn the dressing light green and completely puree the shallots.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Olive oil may solidify in the fridge. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and shake vigorously before use.
Troubleshooting
Dressing separates into distinct layers of oil and vinegar
Cause: Oil was added too quickly or ingredients were too cold
Fix: Add a half teaspoon of Dijon mustard to a clean bowl, then slowly whisk the broken vinaigrette into the fresh mustard drop by drop to re-emulsify.
Prevention: Drizzle oil very slowly while whisking constantly. Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature.
Dressing tastes too acidic or sharp
Cause: Imbalance between oil, acid, and alliums
Fix: Whisk in a small amount of extra olive oil or a few more drops of maple syrup to balance the acidity.
Prevention: Measure the vinegar accurately and always macerate shallots.
Cultural Context
Tarragon is a cornerstone herb in traditional French cooking, renowned for its delicate anise and licorice notes. In a vinaigrette, tarragon vinegar enhances the fresh herb's profile, creating a classic pairing often served with spring greens, asparagus, or poultry.
