This is a tricky recipe because it changes depending on what  the vinaigrette is used with. So I will start with the basic ingredients and go from there. Quantities are more or less for one salad bowl.

• salt and fresh ground pepper
  
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (Maille or Unico)
• 3 tbsp peanut , canola, or extra-virgin olive oil

Common add-ons:

• one clove garlic crushed or chopped very fine, maybe two?
• one tsp Dijon Mustard (Maille is best but salty so you don’t need salt)
• Fresh green onions instead of garlic
• Balsamic vinegar instead or combined with wine vinegar for tomatoes, green beans, spinach
• 1 tsp walnut oil on Belgian endive salad
• Grated Parmesan, lemon juice  and anchovies for Romaine
• 1/4 cup white wine for potato salad
• lemon juice and thyme for carrot salad
• Parsley, chives , basil or cilantro for tomatoes, beets etc…
• blue cheese
• Soft-boiled egg on curly lettuce
• another tsp of mustard for leek salad
• White or cider vinegar are fine too, but not white or malt vinegar. Use less vinegar on delicate leafs and more on Romaine, Endive etc…
• French’s mustard is a NO and so is sugar

I always make the dressing directly in the bowl,  never  in advance so I can match it to the salad.  Stir the dressing well, add the salad but only toss it when you serve. It is best not to use metal  utensils for salad. Olive wood is best.

Note: This is not French dressing!