Italian Salad Dressing

Ingredients

¼ cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar

¼ cup (60 ml) late-harvest sauvignon blanc vinegar or other slightly sweet vinegar, such as white balsamic

1 tablespoon ground fennel

1½ teaspoons mustard powder

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¾ cup (180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup (120 ml) grapeseed oil

Directions

Put the two vinegars, the ground fennel, mustard powder, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor and whiz to blend. With the machine running, drizzle in the olive oil and grapeseed oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

Notes

This is my upgrade to the Italian

dressing that was always in my refrigerator when I was growing up. The key is having just a touch of sweetness, which I achieve by using a slightly sweet vinegar (from KATZ Farm; see page 332). If you are using regular white wine vinegar, add about ¼ teaspoon sugar.

MAKES 2 CUPS (480 ML)