Modern
Good Food Everyday
From
Good Food Everyday
season
1
episode
10
Lemon Dressing for Green Bean Salad
With
Gary Mehigan
Mustard, honey, lemon and vinegar emulsion. Bright dressing for beans or leaves.
About this recipe
Wholegrain mustard, honey and lemon emulsified with white wine vinegar, finished with a slow stream of olive oil. Sharp, bright and barely sweet, built for green beans but works just as hard over green leaves or roasted vegetables. The basic vinaigrette every kitchen needs.
The whisk-while-pouring technique is the emulsion that separates a proper vinaigrette from a sad split. Whisk the wholegrain mustard, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice and vinegar together first into a single smooth base, then drizzle the olive oil in a slow, steady stream while whisking constantly. The mustard acts as the emulsifier (its tiny seed particles coat the oil droplets and stop them from coalescing back into a layer at the top); the result is a creamy, glossy dressing that clings to leaves rather than sliding off.
The ratio matters. Three parts oil to one part acid is the classical French ratio; this dressing leans slightly more acidic, with about a 3:1.5 ratio because of the honey's sweetness needing the additional sharpness to balance. White wine vinegar is the right vinegar; red wine vinegar would dominate the lemon, balsamic would muddy the whole thing.
Keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for two weeks. Comes out of the fridge thicker than it goes in; let it stand at room temperature for ten minutes and shake hard before serving. Works over crisp green beans, blanched broccolini, raw kale shredded thin, a poached chicken salad. The default house dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- Sea salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper
- ¾ cup (180ml) olive oil
Method
1. Place the wholegrain mustard, honey, lemon zest, lemon juice and white wine vinegar in a bowl or jug. Add a pinch of sea salt and a little white pepper, then whisk to combine.
2. Gradually drizzle in the olive oil, whisking continuously, until the dressing is well combined and emulsified.
3. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
4. Store in an airtight container or jar in the fridge until ready to use.
5. Notes
6. The dressing can be stored in an airtight container or jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
7. Shake or whisk well before using.
8. For a walnut, almond or hazelnut variation, replace 50ml of the olive oil with nut oil.
9. For a creamier variation, blend 1 egg yolk with a little of the olive oil first, then gradually add the remaining ingredients and oil until emulsified.
Gary Mehigan
Gary Mehigan spent eleven seasons as a judge on MasterChef Australia before turning his attention to the road. He hosts Around the World on Two Plates and Good Food Everyday, cooking through markets and family kitchens from Spain to Sri Lanka. His own kitchen instinct sits in classical French technique with a forensic eye for produce.
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