Lemon & Herb Balsamic Vinaigrette

Lemony zip really brings greens to life, but this dressing doesn’t stop there. Drizzle it on asparagus for grilling, on quinoa mixed with white beans and tomatoes, on basically anything that you want to. It’s a little bit of sunshine in a jar.

You’ll want to use the best olive oil you can find for this, as the oil sets the whole tone for the dressing. I really like the nutty smooth flavor of olive oil over other oils. The balsamic vinegar adds a nice sweet note without competing with the zip of garlic and lemon. Use whatever herbs are fresh and seem like a good idea that day. Chives are pictured here, but that’s because they were freshly harvested. You could get equally delicious (and yet quite different) results from basil, oregano, or thyme. This is a really nice use for tarragon, if you have some handy. Hint: Make twice what you think you’ll need, because it really does go quickly.

Ingredients

• 2 Cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• Juice of 1 lemon, plus pulp
• 1/4 cup or so chopped fresh herbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon-1 Tablespoon cracked black pepper, depending on preference
• Balsamic vinegar (about 1/4 cup)
• Olive oil (about a cup)

Directions

1. Dice the garlic and herbs and place in a glass container. 
2. Cover with lemon juice and pulp and stir to combine.
3. Add salt and pepper.
4. Pour in balsamic vinegar to taste and stir to blend.
5. Slowly whisk in olive oil to combine.
6. Let chill.