Savory Apricot Dressing

Last year in a little bookshop in Ashland, Oregon, I bought this calendar for 2012:

Obviously, this calendar and I were perfect for each other. Every month spotlights a different food, how to grow it, and offers several recipes using that food. This month, July, focuses on the first stone fruit to ripen each summer: apricots.

The author shared several great sounding ideas for using apricots, including one for a Savory Apricot Dressing. Usually I stick with my trusty and reliable vinaigrette dressing, but lately I've been a little burnt out on that standby. I even bought some store-bought dressing in a fit of boredom one day. Expanding my salad dressing repertoire struck me as an excellent idea.

And what a dressing it was! A golden color with specks of basil from my garden, the surprisingly creamy dressing had a great balance of sweet/tangy/savory and I happily used it on salads for several days in a row. It is the kind of condiment so tasty that you use it as an excuse to eat more vegetables- always a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

Savory Apricot Dressing

1/2 c. fruity olive oil

1/4 c. rice or cider vinegar

1/2 c. chopped ripe apricots

1/4 c. shredded basil

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 tsp. maple syrup or honey

1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. smoked paprika

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and puree until fairly smooth. Makes about 1 1/4 cups. Refrigerate leftovers in a tightly sealed jar for up to 3 days.

Autumn Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Autumn Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Sunday night I attended a birthday celebration for my friend and sister-in-law Heidi. We had a lovely time eating dinner together: salmon, potatoes, asparagus, and a salad that I brought. I found it in a the October 2007 Cooking Light magazine and it is an excellent salad to serve in the fall/winter season when pears and apples are ripe. Homemade vinaigrette dressing is one of my favorite things to make because it's so simple and so superior to store-bought versions. It is healthier for you too, when you use real olive oil and eliminate the added high-fructose corn syrup that most store-bought dressings contain.

I often tweak it according to what’s in season or what I have on hand. Last Sunday night, for example, I used a mixture of spring mix salad and romaine lettuce, replaced the red onion with sliced fennel (love that fresh licorice flavor!), used a red pear, Gala apple, added dried cranberries, and omitted the goat cheese. It was still great and very fresh-tasting! Here’s the recipe: tweak it as you will!

Autumn Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of dried basil
Pinch of ground red pepper

5 cups mixed salad greens
4 cups torn romaine lettuce
2 1/2 cups cubed Asian pear (about 1 large)
2 cups chopped Granny Smith apple (about 1 large)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation:
Combine first 9 ingredients in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Combine salad greens, romaine lettuce, Asian pear, apple, and red onion in a large bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette, and toss well to coat. Sprinkle with crumbled goat cheese