Garlic-Herb Lemon Vinaigrette and Marinade

So as you may or may not know, Sara is the green thumb in our relationship. If you visit our “garden” section, you may notice that there are no posts over there written by me. That is because I kill plants. All of ’em. Indoor plants, outdoor plants, plants that are supposed to be hard to kill like succulents. If it is alive and growing in soil, chances are very good that it will die by my hand.

I don’t necessarily like this trait about myself and so this spring, I put some fresh herbs in pots on my patio and have resolved to keep them alive until the rain this fall kills them for me. A month later, I am happy to report that my herbs are not only still alive but thriving and I’m actively looking for ways to use them (I used my basil in this pasta sauce recipe and my thyme in these meatloaves).

This Garlic-Herb Lemon Vinaigrette uses a whole bunch of my fresh oregano and rosemary and is the perfect dressing for spring and summer.

I also used it to marinate a pork tenderloin before grilling (I use the 7-6-5 method on the grill–grill with the lid closed on one side for 7 minutes, flip and cook for 6 minutes on the other side (lid closed), then turn off the heat and let it rest (on the grill with the lid closed) for 5 more minutes. It would be amazing on chicken breasts (grill 7 minutes per side, lid closed, medium heat) or shrimp, fish, or vegetables.

You’re going to need freshly squeezed lemon juice, white wine vinegar, dehydrated onion, garlic, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, honey, Dijon mustard, fresh rosemary and oregano, and neutural-flavored oil. Oil is a surprisingly hot-button topic and I really don’t want to enrage anyone, so I’ll just say that I use peanut oil. That would be an obviously bad choice if someone has peanut allergies, so I recommend picking an oil that is not extra-virgin olive (I love extra-virgin olive oil, but it has a strong, distinct flavor that will mask the delicate flavors in this dressing), won’t trigger allergies, supports your heart health in a way your heart health would like to be supported, and aligns with your environmental beliefs. It’s a lot of decisions. And our parents wonder why we’re tired all time.

In the jar of your blender, combine all the ingredients

except oil and fresh herbs. Blend until the garlic is broken down and then, with the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Transfer to a serving dish and whisk in fresh herbs. Use within 1 week.

Garlic-Herb Lemon Vinaigrette and Marinade

This fresh garlic-herb lemon vinaigrette and marinade is perfect for drizzling on summer salads and topping with shaved parmesan or goat cheese or for marinading chicken, fish, pork, or vegetables before grilling!

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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dehydrated onion
• 4-5 cloves garlic smashed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup neutral-flavored oil I used peanut, but obviously don't do that if there's a peanut allergy
• 1 heaping tablespoon each of finely minced oregano and rosemary leaves stripped from the stems before chopping

Instructions

• In the jar of your blender, combine all the ingredients except oil and fresh herbs. Blend until the garlic is broken down and then, with the blender running, add the oil in a steady stream. Transfer to a serving dish and whisk in fresh herbs. Use within 1 week.

Notes

This is delicious and versatile. Pour over chicken breasts and marinate for 8-12 hours, fish or shrimp (marinate for 4-8 hours), vegetables like asparagus, zucchini, and mushrooms (marinate for 4-8 hours) or use as a salad dressing.

Author: kate jones

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