Basil Vinaigrette
In the Summertime when my basil is growing like crazy, this basil vinaigrette is one of my favorite things to make. The original recipe uses red pepper flakes but I’m sensitive to spice so I use black pepper. If you like a bit of heat, red pepper flakes are great! It’s so versatile and keeps in the refrigerator for a week. I like to whip up a batch at the beginning of the week and keep it on hand to add to salads, pasta, roasted veggies, pizza, chicken or salmon. But my favorite way to use it is drizzled over heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with a sprinkle of coarse salt. It’s so full of flavor and tastes like a perfect warm Summer evening. I made a quick how-to video on Instagram, it’s in my highlights if you want to check it out.
Ingredients:
- 1 shallot, roughly chopped
- 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves stems removed (about 4 ounces)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 tsp fresh black pepper
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp red wine or champagne vinegar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend for a minute, scrape down the sides and blend again until smooth. Pour the basil vinaigrette into a glass jar or container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week…if it lasts that long!
