French Dijon Vinaigrette

Fresh Dijon Vinaigrette salad with cherry tomatoes and apple slices

Known in the family as my grandmother's salad dressing, this version of vinaigrette has one significant difference from a basic French vinaigrette: instead of regular vinegar, she used cornichon juice, that is the juice found in the jars of cornichons. Being from an era when every bit of leftover was being used, recycled or at last resort, fed to the pigs, while being excessively critical of her own cooking, her recipes often had unusual twists in small details. Cornichon juice is a cooked vinegar macerated with herbs making it both milder and rich in flavors. The vinegar being milder than usual allows for some lemon or lime juice to be added without causing the vinaigrette to become too strong.

No compromise beef stew

There are a thousand ways to cook up a beef stew, this one calls for plenty of red wine and a better cut of beef, without compromise! Instead of the usual stew grade of beef, we use either a rib roast or rib-eye cut to get a better tasting meat but retaining the added flavor of the fat.
Included is a party version for 25 guests where the ingredients measures and proportions can help you fine tune the seasonings for the small version.