Apple Cider Vinaigrette

With Sean Demers

This dressing is perfect for a Winter salad, especially if it has bold flavors such as such as one made with Napa cabbage, shaved slices of butternut squash, shallots and pistachio nuts. Sean Demers makes this dressing especially for the Spinach Arrugula salad at Keon’s Bistro, but it goes well with many salads such as this one.

A vinaigrette dressing is simply an emulsion of vinegars, oils and protein. The main ingredient for this dressing is apple cider. Sean takes one cup and reduces it in a pan by half. The reduction adds more flavor to the dressing. The other ingredients are cider vinegar, minced shallots and Dijon mustard. The shallots are a cross between an onion and garlic, but have a sweeter flavor than either of those two ingredients. The Dijon mustard is a favorite of Sean’s for this recipe because it has more protein that helps to bind the dressing together better, and he likes the strong flavor as well.

The oil is a 90/10 blend of vegetable oil and olive oil. Typically a vinaigrette When mixing the dressing be sure to add the oil slowly while whisking the dressing together so that the mixture does not separate.

You can serve this dressing either cold or at room temperature. If you refrigerate the dressing it will last a very long time, but if you keep it at room temperature (straining out the shallots) it will be good for about two days.

This video was filmed in the Kitchen Showroom at Baron's Major Brands Appliances, Salem, NH. You can obtain more information at their web site; www.baronsmajorbrands.com.

Ingredients

¼ cup cider vinegar
¼ cup apple cider
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 large shallot, minced
2 cups 90/10 blended oil
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Mix shallots, vinegar, cider and Dijon until blended.
2. Slowly whisk in oils.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over any salad. Suggestions include a Napa cabbage salad with sliced butternut squash pieces.

Recipe courtesy of Sean Demers, Keon’s Bistro, 2011.

Sean has worked in restaurants for 13 years and has developed his skills through hands on experience, reading books, and learning from his mentors.
Sean started his career at age 13 at the Belly Buster Diner in Lowell where he worked for four years. He began as a dishwasher and soon took on prep cook and line cook duties. In the years following, Sean went on to work as a line cook at Chili?s and Cobblestones in Lowell. At age 19 he was hired in his first sous chef?s position at Jazz Wine in Tyngsboro where he worked for three years.
In 2006, at age 22, Sean was hired as a sous chef at Keon?s 105 Bistro in Haverhill, Massachusetts and after only two years, he was promoted to the executive chef position. While in his first year as the chef of Keon?s, the restaurant was awarded the RAMAE?s awards by the Massachusetts Retail Association. The following year ?Keon?s Kitchen? was published featuring some of Sean?s best recipes.
Sean has been featured on Fox news ?Zip Trip?, ?Phantom Gourmet? and Billy Costa?s ?T.V Diner?. He has done cooking segments for the local cable channels and is a feature chef each year at Hampton Beach?s seafood festival.
Sean creativity is demonstrated each month at Keon?s monthly wine dinners. The dinners feature 5 courses paired with 5 pairings of wines. These dinners have been consecutively selling out for years.
Age 26, he lives in Haverhill, Massachusetts.