Summer is here! (Actually, it’s always summer here in San Diego, but I won’t rub that in.) With summer comes picnics, summer concerts in the park, lots of beach days and BBQs, and that means one thing
Salads. Before you know it, you’ll be invited to a potluck or a BBQ and speaking from experience, a salad is one of the easiest (and healthiest) side dishes you can contribute. I personally favor chopped salads, but that’s because I love salad dressing.
That’s right. While I like salad, I love-love-love dressing. It’s so many things in one! Salty, oily, tangy, garlicy, herby – you name it, dressing can be it.
My version, adapted from this recipe, is my favorite go-to dressing of the moment because it tastes great and holds up well again green or grain salads. It also keeps well in the fridge. If you’re feeling fancy, toss in some basil or other fresh herb. Change out the vinegar and experiment with different olive oils to create variations.
And at the end of the week, if you still have a bit left, use it to marinade chicken breasts. There are so many great ways to use this dressing, I bet it becomes part of your summer rotation.
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Add the shallot, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper to glass jar with a tight-fitting lid (such as an old mustard jar). After securing the lid, shake well to combine.
- Add ½ cup of olive oil to the dressing. Cover the jar again and shake well to combine.
- Repeat with the remaining ½ cup of olive oil.
- Refrigerate for up to one week. If a lump forms, microwave for 20-30 seconds (remove any metal lids), then re-cap and shake to combine.
This is great! I love having a basic salad dressing recipe.