Mustard is rightfully considered one of the most popular sauces used in cooking. Despite the fact that mustard powder is always used as the main ingredient for its preparation, the recipe for the finished sauce can vary greatly. Based on the method of preparation and the ingredients used, there are many varieties of mustard.

Most often, this sauce is used as a seasoning for a wide range of dishes, including cold and hot appetizers, meat and fish main courses, as well as for many other culinary creations. It is typically yellow in color and can be produced from either powder or seeds.

History of Dijon mustard

To answer how Dijon mustard differs from regular mustard, you need to study the history of its appearance. The history of culinary and medicinal use of this kind of sauce has quite a lot of interesting events. As an effective remedy for various diseases, mustard began to be used back in 3000 BC. At the same time, its nutritional and taste properties were unclaimed until the ninth century AD, when the practice of eating mustard began.

The original creators of the mustard recipe seem to be the French, since at that time they quite successfully grew and processed the raw materials necessary for preparing the sauce. For the sake of fairness, it is worth noting that mustard sauce was known earlier, in Ancient Rome and Greece, but its recipe was not widespread.

The first French city in which chefs most actively seasoned their dishes with such a seasoning was introduces himself as Dijon, which is where one of the varieties of this sauce gets its name. A significant contribution to the development of the recipe was made by the high demand for these products that appeared from other European countries.

Main features of Dijon mustard

Despite the relatively established basic recipe used to prepare this sauce, today there are more than twenty different variations of Dijon mustard. As a rule, they differ in additional ingredients that significantly change the taste of the finished product.

However, there is several main features, characteristic of most variations of the recipe for this popular sauce:

• Availability of ground or whole mustard seeds;
• Using young white wine or grape vinegar;
• Adding various ingredients, which can be anchovies, garlic, spices and many others.

Such signs make it possible to distinguish Dijon mustard from its other varieties, in particular Russian. After all, the taste of these sauces differs radically, which should be remembered when using one or another variety.

Differences between Dijon and Russian mustard

Considering the most characteristic differences between the Dijon and Russian varieties, we should first of all highlight differences in raw materials used. For the Dijon variation, a special variety of black beans is used, which undergo a peeling process. In this case, as a rule, whole seeds are used in the sauce recipe.

The taste and ingredients used are also very different. The French analogue has a noticeably less pungent taste, as well as a peculiar sweetness, which makes this version of the sauce popular with most consumers. Russian mustard has a rather rough and pungent taste, which significantly reduces the number of its fans.

Recipe and GOST mustard

In order to experience the authentic taste of French seasoning, you do not need to travel to Europe, since this sauce can be prepared relatively easily at home.

Its recipe is simple and allows you to get a finished home product in the shortest possible time:

It's very easy to make a flavorful seasoning this way. It’s interesting that GOST does not require any requirements with this Dijon sauce. This has led to the fact that many unscrupulous manufacturers, taking advantage of the lack of GOST, produce sauces that are not related to this type of seasoning. GOST regulates only the quality of the seeds or mustard oil used, while all other standards are determined by the current technical specifications.

Dijon mustard, whose calorie content is 143 kcal per 100g, can be used as part of a diet, subject to moderate consumption. After all, it contains a huge number of vitamins and important microelements, and therefore it can replace other sauces, whose calorie content is higher.

To prepare it, you need to have Dijon mustard on your farm. Of course, if you have the opportunity (or a private jet, at worst), you can quickly fly to Nice and buy real seasoning. I advise you to save money on this trip and prepare Dijon mustard at home. Believe me, there is nothing complicated at all.

It was a native of Provence who discovered the recipe for Dijon mustard to me. As he said, this seasoning cannot be bought in the supermarket. You either need to know how to cook it yourself, or go to the provinces and look for a master who prepares real Dijon mustard. I take his word for it. All the French are true gourmets and connoisseurs of fine cuisine.

I was surprised that such world-famous mustard was so easy to prepare. There is not a single scarce or rare product in its composition. All ingredients are ours, native.

It is very important to use good dry white wine. Pay attention to the label. If the wine is “powdered”, then don’t even think about taking it. Such wine will not only kill all the taste, but will also cause serious harm to your body. Now I’ll show you how to prepare Dijon mustard.

Cooking steps:

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Ingredients:

Onion 1 pc., dry white wine 150 ml, mustard (powder) 40-50 g, vegetable oil 1 tbsp. spoon, honey 1 tbsp. spoon, garlic 2 cloves, Tabasco 0.5 teaspoon, salt 1 teaspoon.

In France there is a wonderful city of Dijon, and mustard, popular all over the world, comes from there. First of all, Dijon mustard differs from Russian mustard in its recipe. Our sauce has its own special style, it is spicy, very hot. If you have a cold, it will instantly clear your nose; this is not a sweetish French seasoning - ours warms you even in cold winter.

History of appearance

In France, mustard has been used since 1292, during which time it was mentioned in the royal registers. The name “Dijon” mustard has been known since the 13th century. Simply put, the word “Dijon” comes from the name of the city of Dijon, where it began to be produced.

Gradually, partnerships were created to produce this seasoning, machines for its production and original recipes that used white wine appeared. This production marked the beginning of the active invasion of Dijon mustard into the lives of people in different countries. And in 1937, the Dijon mustard brand was officially approved.

What is the difference between Dijon and regular Russian mustard?

Let's take a closer look at the differences:

1. The French product is prepared from peeled black and Sarepta mustard seeds. The seeds can be whole or crushed and are grown near Dijon in Burgundy. Unripe grape juice or young white wine is added to it. Some recipes use wine vinegar. The taste of the French product is delicate, with a sweet and sour taste. The composition may contain spices, such as tarragon, lavender or thyme;
2. Our mustard is most often made from powder, although nowadays you can buy a product from Sarepta mustard grains, which is grown near Volgograd. The seasoning powder is not obtained by grinding the grains, but is made from the cake that remains after the oil is squeezed out of the grains. Do you feel the difference? Our grain French sauce contains native mustard oil, and our seasoning powders are infused with vegetable oils. But only mustard oil can soften the harshness and pungency, and ordinary sunflower oil cannot, so we cry from our sauce;
3. So, the French product has a more delicate taste, it is moderately spicy, without harshness at all, and a little sweet. Our product is hotter, much angrier;
4. French sauce has a wonderful soft consistency with a viscous texture, most often found in grains, but ours is usually prepared as a smooth sauce. The Dijon color can range from pale yellow to bright yellow;
5. The French do not have a single way of cooking. Natural wine vinegar, white or red Burgundy wine, as well as herbs and spices can be added to the sauce. There was a time when, instead of wine vinegar, sour grape juice verjuice was added, which was also quite suitable. Our recipe is much simpler; in addition to the mustard itself, you will need water, salt, some spices and vinegar.

Use in cooking

Dijon mustard is tasty and healthy. It promotes good digestion and has an antioxidant effect. Therefore, it goes perfectly with any meat, and especially with kebabs or shish kebab cooked on the grill. It will perfectly complement boiled pork or pork chop if, before putting a piece in the pan, you grease it on all sides with this seasoning. The meat will be juicier and softer.

You can do it differently: cut the meat into pieces (4 cm thick), make cuts in each. Rub the pieces with spices and Dijon mustard. Thanks to the transverse cuts, the meat is well soaked. Then fry it in a frying pan hot with oil.

The B vitamins contained in grains are important for proper carbohydrate metabolism, so the French grain product also has very beneficial properties. Grain mustard also shows itself ideally in fatty meat dishes. Hot grains will help you better digest fatty foods, because giving up meat products and rich cabbage soup is not recommended, especially in winter.

It is absolutely irreplaceable in many sauces and salad dressings. After all, some people like sweetness, and others like bitterness. This sauce will bring peace to everyone. As for homemade mayonnaise, it is better to add grain-free French mustard to it, then it will suit literally everything from fish to salads.

You can get creative with additives: make mayonnaise with tarragon and grain mustard for the fish, add additional garlic and thyme to the meat. The sauce improves the taste of bitter and pungent vegetables such as daikon radish or celery.

It will add a spicy aroma to fish and seafood that are cooked with the addition of French sauce. For example, a popular Belgian dish is mussels in mustard sauce, to which, in addition to the main ingredients, a product from Dijon is added.

Homemade recipe

The recipe for making French sauce seems complicated, but in fact it is based on mustard seeds, which today can be bought without problems.

You will need:

• dark and light mustard seeds - a mixture weighing 100 g;
• warm water – 2 tbsp. spoons;
• white wine – 50 ml;
• balsamic – 50 ml;
• olive oil – 60 g;
• natural honey – 40 g;
• sea ​​salt – 8 g;
• pepper mixture – 2 pinches.

Total cooking time: 2 hours 15 minutes.

How to do:

Substitute for French sauce

However, finding a replacement for a French product is not at all difficult. In salads, a dressing made from sour cream and regular mustard “works great” with all ingredients. True, the taste is unusual, with a slight spiciness, but if you season a fresh cabbage salad with this dressing, the vegetable will become much more tender.

If you really want something, you must prepare it. Therefore, do not be afraid to experiment, there is no Dijon mustard - add regular table mustard to the dish, but with horseradish flavor.

The second number is the Cossack version of mustard; cucumber pickle was added to this sauce instead of traditional vinegar. Spicy, sour, sweet notes - it has everything to give the dish a special taste.

And finally, our brown Sarepta mustard, which is grown near Volgograd. It tastes little different from Dijon. It can be used as a seasoning for any product, especially meat, in pickles and sauces, and added to salad dressings.

The French have a saying that a salad without mustard means a beauty is crazy. Indeed, mustard is often added to traditional vinaigrette sauce, which adds a special piquancy to salads. However, before baking, fish and meat are just as often coated with mustard as they are served with various cold dishes.

Dijon mustard from France is known throughout the world. There is a legend that in 1383, King Charles VI of France called on the Duke of Burgundy to assist the Count of Flanders, who was under siege. Duke Philip the Bold gathered a huge army, and the money for the campaign was received from mustard traders. Having won the victory, the Duke returned home, inscribing on the banner that he had been delayed and was returning to Dijon. However, due to the swaying of the banner in the wind, the inscription was read that the mustard army was returning to Dijon. In gratitude for the financial assistance, the Duke allowed mustard producers to depict the coat of arms of Burgundy on their product.

Dijon mustard gained particular popularity and value in 1752, when Jean Nejon began using wine vinegar in its preparation.

Currently, there are many varieties of Dijon mustard: classic with grains, and also with tarragon, with blackcurrant liqueur, with green pepper, etc. It can taste strong (forte) or tender (douce).

To find a recipe for Dijon mustard, I had to sift through many French cooking sites and blogs. There are countless dishes with mustard, but the recipe for mustard itself is extremely rare. However, I did find a few recipes. The one I want to offer was designated as a classic, although I cannot guarantee this, I took the author’s word for it.

You've probably all tried store-bought Dijon mustard; it goes great with a variety of appetizers. We offer its recipe, we do not pretend to be authentic, but the mustard we prepared turns out very tasty.

Homemade Dijon mustard is quick to prepare. This sauce is named after the town where it was first offered to the public. French cuisine is known for its delicate and at the same time piquant taste and exquisite presentation of dishes. Mustard, made according to a classic recipe, can add a touch of aristocracy to salads, poultry and carbonate dishes. It can be served either pure in gravy boats or as a component of various dressings.

In addition to its taste properties, Dijon mustard differs from the pasty mustard we are used to in that it contains grains infused with young dry white wine, which complement the pasty substance of the multicomponent mass, creating a textural contrast. The classic version necessarily implies the presence of small dark brown whole grains of the plant in a creamy paste.

Both an experienced cook and a beginner can prepare this sauce at home. The technological process does not involve complex manipulations, and the composition of the sauce does not involve expensive and rare ingredients. The taste of the finished culinary delight can be adjusted: from spicy to sweet.

For burning pungency, almost black seeds are used, which can be taken in different percentages relative to white or yellow grains. You can make mustard with a sweet or spicier taste. To make the mustard not spicy, you need to know a few secrets, which I will tell you about. If you want to prepare a spicy product, instead of yellow seeds, take about one third of the black ones. The spices used are sugar, apple cider vinegar or wine, salt, sugar, honey, which are responsible for the taste of the finished product. Recipes may also include garlic, onions, turmeric, a mixture of peppers, tarragon, vegetable oil, and cinnamon. In addition to grains, you can use mustard powder. There are a lot of recipes for Dijon mustard, but mustard seeds are always used in it.

Taste Info Sauces

Ingredients

• Mustard seeds – 100 g;
• Orange juice – 20 ml;
• Olive oil – 1 tbsp;
• Dry white wine – 100 ml + 1 tbsp;
• Honey – 1 tbsp;
• Sugar – 0.5 tbsp;
• Salt – 0.5 tsp.

How to make Dijon mustard at home

To prepare, take high-quality mustard seeds. The larger the grains, the more expressive the finished sauce will be. Place them in a fine strainer and rinse thoroughly under running cold water.

Now you need to transfer the seeds into a saucepan. Pour wine or good apple cider vinegar and freshly squeezed orange juice here. Stir. Cover with a lid and place in a cool place, such as the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, for 48 hours. This time is enough for the grains to absorb liquid and swell.

Residents of France prepare Dijon mustard at home and use good dry wine; it should not be powdered.

After two days, add sugar, honey, oil, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar or wine to the seeds. Mix thoroughly, being careful not to crush the grains. Place the finished mixture on the fire, bring to a boil and cook for exactly 2 minutes.

Select a third of the grains from the total mass and grind them in a blender. You can also grind the seeds the old fashioned way - in a mortar. The finished consistency should be pasty and homogeneous.

In some recipes, some of the seeds are replaced directly with dry mustard powder.

The crushed seeds remain mixed with the rest of the whole grains. Now, Dijon mustard can be seasoned with spices to taste.

Dijon mustard grains prepared according to this recipe must be stored in a sterile glass container in the refrigerator, but not more than 3 months.

Served as a sauce for meat dishes and various appetizers, goes well with cold fish and vegetable appetizers. Dijon mustard can also be used in marinades for hot meat and fish dishes.