Brown Butter Vinaigrette (Beurre Noisette Vinaigrette)
Bridges classic French sauce and salad dressing. The nutty, toasted-milk-solid flavour combined with acid creates a warm, luxurious dressing unlike any cold vinaigrette.
Ingredients (~250 ml)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Unsalted butter | 115 g |
| Sherry vinegar | 60 ml |
| Shallot, finely minced | 15 g |
| Dijon mustard | 10 g |
| Maple syrup (optional) | 10 ml |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | 40 ml |
| Fine sea salt and black pepper | to taste |
Method
- Melt butter in a light-coloured saucepan, swirling constantly. Cook until milk solids turn deep golden brown and butter smells nutty — 3–5 min. Watch carefully.
- Pour immediately into a heatproof bowl. Cool 2–3 min (warm, not hot).
- Whisk together sherry vinegar, shallot, mustard, and maple syrup.
- Slowly drizzle in warm brown butter while whisking, then whisk in olive oil.
- Season. If splits as it cools: whisk in 5–10 ml warm water to re-emulsify.
Notes
Citrus variation: replace sherry vinegar with 60 ml tangerine/orange juice + 15 ml lemon juice.
Pairs with: Seared scallops, radicchio, roasted squash.
Sources:
Modern-Contemporary · Salad-Dressings · Salad-Dressing-Techniques