A green salad is the cornerstone of every meal in France – it can be the first course of a gourmet meal, a side dish with the main course for lunch, your main dish with cheese, or a hardboiled egg for dinner.

One important aspect and characteristic of the French green salad is the vinaigrette or “sauce moutarde”. It must be very mustardy. This was and is still like this in my family in Burgundy. Strong mustard- the Dijon mustard is the best!

Good quality mustard, shallot and/or garlic, a mild but flavourful white wine vinegar, and good vegetable oil. This is the perfect combination!

But I have a secret ingredient!

Imperial IPA beer jelly (because of the hops flavor) works perfectly in a salad dressing and complements very well the taste of the green leaves. It is a must to try!

A simple dish like a green salad can be so tasty - a symphony of flavors. You won’t look behind you after having tried my Imperial IPA beer jelly French vinaigrette.

This is my recipe:

French Imperial IPA beer jelly vinaigrette

Makes about 60 ml (1/4 cup), enough for one large green salad

Ingredients

A pinch (1/8 teaspoon) of sea salt

1 tablespoon of white balsamic wine vinegar

1/2 small shallot, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon) (facultative)

A generous teaspoon of Dijon originale mustard like Maille Mustard

A generous teaspoon of old-style mustard like Maille Mustard

1 teaspoon of Imperial IPA beer jelly

3 to 4 tablespoons (45 ml to 60 ml) vegetable oil like sunflower

Fresh ground pepper

Fresh herbs, if desired

Preparation

In a large bowl, mix the salt, vinegar, and shallot together. Let stand for about ten minutes.

Shallot is the chic cousin of onion. When marinated in vinegar, it gets soft and adds an attention-grabbing flavor to the dressing because of its slight bite. A must that you need to try!

Mix in the two mustards, beer jelly, then add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of vegetable oil and freshly ground peppercorns. Stir well, then taste. If too sharp, add the additional vegetable oil and more salt, if necessary.

Enjoy!

Try our recipe: French green salad with pickled black cherries, pecorino cheese and Imperial IPA beer jelly vinaigrette