Name: Basil French Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup white vinegar; 1 teaspoon sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon paprika; 1 tablespoon dried basil or 3 Tbl chopped fresh basil; 1 clove garlic (split)

Basil French vinaigrette is a slightly sweet, aromatic dressing that works well on various salads.

When basil is in season, it makes a wonderful dressing for a salad of mesculin greens, dried cranberries and walnuts or pecans. Hey. That sounds like a good salad for tonight. Or maybe a simple Green Salad would be tasty.

Grow Your Own Basil

My basil grows best on my porch, close to the house, where it gets a bit of shade in the afternoon. It is an herb that you can easily grow. It droops when it needs water and I have learned not to over- or under-water it.

Basil grows well in a pot on our porch. It's one of my favorite herbs to grow.

I use basil in lots of recipes. It has a slight licorice flavor and is good in salad dressings, on pizza, and in Ratatouille. When cooking with basil, add it at the end of the cooking cycle to enhance the flavor.

What You Need

What you need is measuring cups and spoons, but what you want is a wonderful salad bowl and dishes to serve your family and friends. And an espresso machine, because everyone deserves to drink great coffee. Whatever you buy, get the best you can afford (or maybe a little better than you can afford). You won't regret it.

Basil French Vinaigrette Salad Dressing Recipe

Ingredients

¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon dried basil or 3 Tbl chopped fresh basil
1 clove garlic split

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a cruet or glass jar with a lid.
Shake to blend well.
Refrigerate at least one hour or overnight to let the flavor develop.