Nourish Network

This is a French-inspired vinaigrette that I love to use for hearty, rustic salads.

Use this as a drizzle or dip for just about any Asian dish. Fumiko’s Gyoza are especially good for dunking.

Homemade mayonnaise is rich, creamy, and tangy in a way stuff from the jar can’t duplicate. Whipping up your own mayo also is a use of leftover egg yolks from making meringues and other egg-white-based recipes (like our Chocolate Angel Food Cake). I enjoy the satisfaction of whipping the egg yolks by hand, but you could use a blender, food processor, or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (a good idea if you decide to double or triple this recipe). The amount of oil you’ll use depends on the size of the yolks and how thick you like your mayonnaise; for a stiff sauce, use more oil. This mayo is great spread on a sandwich, as well as in other recipes, like Bestest Buttermilk-Chive Dressing. To make alioli, substitute extra-virgin olive oil for canola, and add a clove or two of garlic that’s been mashed to a paste.

These lentils are the little black dress of dinner. Toss a cup or two with a frisee salad. Serve them as a side with duck confit. Or top a bowl with some honey-ginger carrots to make them the star of the show.