A refreshing salad dressing that can be quickly made. While this recipe calls for fresh basil and thyme you can substitute other herbs depending on the season or the meal you are preparing. I like to use mint in summer for example.
Ingredients
- 1 sprig fresh oregano – chopped fine
- 1 sprig fresh thyme – chopped fine
- 1 cup olive oil – salad not sauté oil
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar – experiment with different kinds
- salt and pepper to taste
Process
- Prepare the fresh herbs. A chef once shared with me that oregano leaves should be slapped by placing leaf in the palm of your hand and clapping. This is to increase the transfer of taste and aroma. It’s your call on the tearing versus cutting of the leaves but you should end up with small pieces.
- Combine the oregano, thyme, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Mix together and pour mixture into a bottle.
- Cover tightly and leave out at room temperature to let ingredients integrate.
Note: you can substitute dry herbs for fresh, but two things to keep in mind. 1) dry herbs are stronger in taste than fresh herbs so start with a teaspoon and add more later if necessary. 2) dry herbs will not be as soft and that can impact the texture of your salad.
