During week 3 of our Culinary Egg-venture cooking series, we made a delicious Eggs en Cocotte Forstière–and a couple variations. As usual, I prepared a salad to accompany the meal using some of the beautiful spinach and other greens I’d found.

I keep a variety of vinegars in my pantry at home and this week I thought I’d feature sherry vinegar with its nutty, caramelly flavors balancing the sharp acidity typical of a vinegar. This Spanish cousin to balsamic vinegar is made from sherry wine which is naturally fermented and then aged for six months in barrels. If you don’t already have a bottle in your pantry, I recommend this addition.

Ingredients

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1/3 cup sherry vinegar

• 1 tbs shallots finely minced

• 1 tbs Dijon mustard

• 1 cup olive oil

Procedure

In a small mixing bowl combine salt, pepper and sherry vinegar until salt dissolves. Whisk in Dijon mustard and shallots. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Adjust seasoning to taste.