For those who know me, a recipe is merely a starting point. This dressing is no exception. Every year at this time, I’m drowning in fresh basil. So, every year at this time, I make enough pesto to feed an army and freeze it. The problem? We don’t eat all that much pesto so it was time to find another use for all of our basil.
This dressing is the answer! I did a search for “Basil Vinaigrette” recipes and came up with several recipes that sounded delicious. Then, I did what I always do, I improvised! This “recipe” is perfect for using whatever you happen to have growing in your yard on the day you need it. Most recipes call for 1/4 cup or more of olive oil. We try to limit our oil intake, so this only calls for 1 tablespoon of oil. But if you want more, slop in more! Consider this merely a guideline to your own salad dressing adventures!
Fresh Basil – 1 to 2 cups
Fresh Parsley – 10 leaves or to taste
Vinegar (your choice) – 2 to 5 tablespoons
Olive Oil (or not) – none to 1/2 cup
Pepper – to taste
Red Pepper Flakes – to taste
Salt – to taste
Fresh Garlic – at least one clove (live dangerously – add more!)
Onion – Whatever you have! I’m using Egyptian Walking Onion Bulblets
Directions: Throw all ingredients into a blender. I use the smoothie cup from my Ninja. Blend, taste, add more seasonings if needed, blend again, dump on your salad. I’m guessing that because of the vinegar, this will last at least three days in your refrigerator. I usually just make enough for one meal at a time but then, we eat really BIG salads!
I plan on experimenting with a basil tarragon dressing to use on chicken salad. Stay tuned to find out how that variation goes!
