Recipe: Raspberry-Thyme Vinaigrette

Last fall, Besha Rodell of LA Weekly told us that she thinks raspberry vinaigrette should never be served in a restaurant again.

Martha Holmberg, however, sees hope for redemption.

Martha is the author of Modern Sauces: Sauce-Making for Everyone, and she speaks with Evan on the show this Saturday.

Find her recipe for Raspberry-Thyme Vinaigrette below.

Raspberry-Thyme Vinaigrette

(From Martha Holmberg’s Modern Sauces: Sauce-Making for Everyone)

I started cooking in the late 1980s, around the time The Silver Palate cookbook was first published. I think of that era as The Age of the Raspberry Vinaigrette. The concoction was so overused that I couldn’t go near the stuff for years. But a well-made raspberry vinaigrette is a beautiful thing, full of summery perfume and balanced fruit flavor, and I’m ready to embrace it again. I don’t make mine with raspberry vinegar. I use real raspberries, either fresh or frozen, and I add fresh thyme to balance out the sweetness of the fruit.

Makes about ½ cup/120 ml

Ingredients

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

½ tsp chopped fresh thyme

½ tsp Dijon mustard

¼ tsp granulated sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 to 8 fresh or frozen and thawed raspberries

6 tbsp/90 ml extra-virgin olive oil

In a small bowl, whisk together both vinegars, the thyme, mustard, sugar, ¼ tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper.

Add the raspberries and crush coarsely with a wooden spoon or the whisk. Gradually whisk in the oil, a little at a time, until the sauce is creamy and blended. Taste and adjust the flavor balance and seasoning, adding more sugar if needed. If time permits, let the vinaigrette sit at room temperature for up to 30 minutes before using so the berries release their juices. Whisk again to blend just before using.

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Quick changes

Use ripe blackberries instead of raspberries, adding more sugar if the berries are tart.

Add 1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon after adding the oil.

Use fresh lime juice instead of white wine vinegar.