The French Laundry Staff Dressing: Elevate Your Salads At Home
When it comes to culinary excellence, The French Laundry in Napa Valley is in a league of its own. Known for its impeccable attention to detail and flavor, this three-Michelin-star restaurant has perfected even the simplest components of a dish, including its staff dressing. With its delicate balance of acidity, richness, and subtle seasoning, this dressing transforms a simple salad into a gourmet treat.
Ready to bring a touch of fine dining to your kitchen? Let’s dive into The French Laundry Staff Dressing recipe:
Why This Dressing Stands Out
What makes The French Laundry staff dressing so special is its simplicity. It’s not flashy or overcomplicated—it’s just perfect. This is a dressing that highlights the beauty of every ingredient it touches. Whether it’s a bed of fresh greens, roasted vegetables, chicken marinade, or a grain bowl, the vinaigrette brings a bright, tangy, and subtly creamy element that ties everything together.
It’s proof that the highest-quality ingredients, combined with proper technique, can turn something as basic as a salad dressing into a showstopper.
Ingredients & Tools
Ingredients
- Garlic
- Shallots
- Dijon mustard
- High Quality Balsamic vinegar (from Modena, Italy)
- Egg yolk
- Neutral Oil such as Avocado, Grapeseed, or even Olive Oil (Don’t use inflammatory seed oils like veggie or canola!)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
TOOLS
- Salad Spinner
- High Quality Salt & Pepper Mills
- Immersion Blender
- Large Wooden Salad Bowl
- To-Go Salad Bowl
- Salad Hands
Tips for Success
- Use High-Quality Ingredients: The simplicity of this recipe means every ingredient shines. Opt for good-quality oil and balsamic vinegar for the best results.
- Emulsify Properly: Drizzling the oil slowly into the vinegar and mustard ensures the vinaigrette doesn’t separate.
- Balance the Flavors: Taste and adjust the seasoning. A pinch of sugar can mellow overly sharp acidity, if needed.
Why You’ll Love It
- It’s Effortlessly Elegant: Perfect for entertaining or simply making your everyday meals feel special.
- Versatility at Its Best: It’s not just for salads—use it on roasted veggies, grain bowls, or even as a marinade for proteins.
- Easy to Make: Despite its Michelin-starred origins, this dressing is incredibly simple to prepare.
- Restaurant-Quality Flavor at Home: With just a few pantry staples, you can recreate the magic of a world-class restaurant.
Give It A Try!
The French Laundry staff dressing is elegant in its simplicity, letting the fresh, vibrant ingredients of your dish shine through. With just a few ingredients, you can recreate the magic of one of the world’s most celebrated restaurants in your own kitchen.
Plus, it holds up well in the fridge all week, so grab a big box of greens at the farmer’s market or grocery and have a delicious side salad all week long!
Ready to impress your taste buds? Go ahead and give it a try—your salads will thank you.
Gina
+ If you like healthy and delicious salads, try the Jennifer Aniston Salad or the Viral Baked by Melissa Green Goddess Salad
The French Laundry’s Staff Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp chopped shallots
- 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 c balsamic vinegar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 c neutral oil such as Avocado or Grapeseed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the garlic, shallots, mustard and vinegar in a blender and blend until well combined. Add the egg yolk and blend again.
- With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil until the dressing is thick and emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Can be refrigerated in a covered container for 1 week
