Heirloom Tomatoes with an Italian Vinaigrette
For those of you that follow this blog, yes, I am officially on an heirloom tomato “kick”. If you are lucky enough to grow you own or have a good farmers market nearby, wow, how I envy you. That is one of the things that we give up to live in a tropical paradise. I love the fresh fruits and vegetables here, but do miss my heirlooms!
As a Chef, probably the most asked question I got was “How do I make a good vinaigrette”?
Really, one of the easiest sauces to make! Here is my staple….
1/3 cup of Braggs organic apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons water
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of a good dijon mustard
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 – 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 – 1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil
In a deep bowl, add the vinegar, water, lemon juice, mustard, dried herbs, parmesan cheese, salt & pepper and whisk together. Now, very slowly while whisking briskly start to add the olive oil in a stream. The mustard acts as an emulsifier and when done correctly, the dressing will remain an emulsion and will not break. For a creamy version add 2 to 3 tablespoons of heavy duty mayonnaise.
Another nice twist is to add some finely chopped calamata olives. Experiment and ENJOY!!
