Dirt to Table Experience: Fresh Lemon-Herb Dressing in a Jar
PUBLISHED ON: 12.27.2012
Growing-up bottled salad dressings were the norm. Lucky for me, I was exposed early to basic vinegar and oil dressings made at home, and not in a bottle. Why, would you purchase store bought? Have you taken a look at a typical salad dressing label? Basic vinaigrettes are a cinch to make and with a quick toss to fresh salad greens, makes for a beautiful salad.
I make endless varieties of vinaigrettes depending on what I have on hand. No matter what the flavor combination, the only stead fast rule is use 2 parts oil, to 1-part vinegar or citrus. Salt and pepper, and a bit of Dijon mustard. You can add any additional fresh or dried herbs that you choose, blend it together to emulsify, and it is ready.
Citrus is in season and it serves as a flavorful fresh base to dressings (My Meyer lemon tree produced over 100 lemons this season). The garden lettuce is rocking and salads are knocking this winter at my house.
- Use as a marinade for chicken or pork
- Mix with warm boiled new potatoes
- Drizzle over baked fish
- Brush on crusty bread to grill or broil
- Toss with steamed or grilled vegetables
- Mash with feta for a quick crostini spread
Enjoy.
From Beyond My Kitchen Window
I love home made dressing and welcome your lemon version to my repertoire. Great recipe!
T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types
You're absolutely right. Sometimes I wonder why I'm so lazy and purchase the bottle. Homemade dressing is always the best.
nanny
Looks and sounds so delicious…..anything lemon steals my taste buds….yum.
Southerncook
Velva, Your post was perfect timing, I sent to both my DIL's your web site. I bought both of them an excellent olive oil with a beautiful decanter and told them that it was such a fine olive oil that it was to be used for dressings and NOT for cooking. They really have no idea how easy it is to make an excellent dressing. Now, your pic looks so yummy, I am thinking a good salad for lunch. I have plenty of meyer lemons too.CarolynCarolyn
Rita
I agree with you; home made dressings are the best. This recipe sounds like a must try; the idea of adding honey caught my eye.Rita
Claudia
I grew up with oil and vinegar or oil and lemon. Switched to bottled because it was required by children and husband. Now we are back on oil and vinegar. Nothing better. I know what's in it!
tasteofbeirut
That brings back early memories of my arrival in California and seeing people buy all these bottles of creamy dressing; was in charge of making the dressing every single day at home and thought buying these was strange when it was so simple to make! Yours today is the best of the best and with fresh lettuce and herbs!!!Perfection!
Karen
I love homemade viniagrette… just can't beat the fresh taste.
SavoringTime in the Kitchen
I love making homemade dressings. There is absolutely no comparison to store bought. I love the tarragon in this recipe – so delicious!
Mimi
Great dressing I love the fresh herbs. Wishing you a wonderful new year.Mimi
Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen
I have always made my own vinaigrette and the bottled stuff doesn't even begin to compare to homemade. I'm with you – read the label and you'll never eat it again.Sam
Michelle B
I love making my own salad dressings. My lettuce and spinach is doing well–lots of salads coming up so I'll need some new dressing ideas. Lemon herb sounds perfect.
Michelle
Lemon is a favorite flavor of mine, so this will be ideal in my kitchen.
Suzie
Wow! 100 lemons from your tree…you go girl!! I would be so happy. This vinaigrette sounds so simple and delicious!! I want to try it now 🙂
Sommer
Mind sending me a few lemons!! What a bountiful harvest! So happy for you! I, too, don't buy store bought dressings. Too much of a disappointment especially when homemade is way better!! This vinaigrette sounds wonderfully flavorful and the perfect addition to most salads!
Sarah
This looks absolutely amazing!
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies
I hate most salad dressings. They are too heavy or too vinegary. But a nice lemon vinaigrette is always my favorite. I love this! (And I'm completely jealous of your Meyer lemons.)
Aggie
Beautiful dressing and totally perfect to brighten up a winter day! I'm feeling salad deprived lately, maybe a hood vinaigrette like this will change that :)Hope you're enjoying your holidays!
Ozlem's Turkish Table
Anything with lemon gets me and your dressing looks delicious! Happy new year to you, look forward to your posts in 2013!
Cucina49
I feel like this is just the kind of recipe I want to see right now–healthy and colorful!
That Girl
I haven't bought salad dressing in a long time!
Rachel Cotterill
I have to admit, I generally prefer my salad un-dressed. But homemade dressings are certainly nicer than the shop kind.
Angie's Recipes
I love this simple and fresh dressing. Happy New Year!
Lea Ann (Cooking On The Ranch)
You are preaching to the choir Velva. I grew up on those bottled dressings, we always had Thousand Island and Catalina on the table. I made my first vinaigrette years ago and haven't looked back. Thanks for one more recipe for my database. Happy New Year.
Martha
Delicious! I'm another one on the list that grew up on bottled dressing. Thankfully once I started cooking I discovered not only how simple making fresh dressing was, but what a difference in flavor! I have never gone back to bottled since.
Chris
yep, great marinade for chicken!
Kitchen Butterfly
If you told me you had so many Meyers, I would have flown to see you. Wink, wink!I was so desperate to bring Meyers home with me…but never made it to the stores to get them as I left it for the last minute.Thankfully, a friend sent me some seeds which I'm hoping will give me meyers before I become a grandmother. Sigh.Have a delicious, refreshing and most blessed holiday, Velva. BTW, I LOVE your photo – the one of you, int he right hand corner…of your blog!X X XAnd, the craisins you sent me, years ago….made a delicious cranberry sauce for the Christmas turkey! Thank you!!
Kitchen Butterfly
And though I make most salad dressings in a snap, I recently tried Heinz Salad cream in a 'Nigerian salad', something I hadn't had in years….and I buckled. My knees gave way. Nostalgia in part, and deliciousness in total. Sigh.
Jullie
They meyer lemon is such a terrific fruit. I alway keep lemons on hand. This evening I will make your dressing with the honey. I saw your link on Mama with Flavor and thought I would check out your blog.
Suzan
Hello Velva,Thank you for stopping by! Glad to find you again!! Your Lemon-Herb Dressing looks and sounds wonderful!! I've got to get back to making my own again!! Thank you for sharing your recipes!! I must try your lemon brownies!!
Katerina
I love citrus flavor and I am sure this as a marinade would make the chicken tender and full of aromas! Have a wonderful and full of joy New Year!
Magic of Spice
I am not a fan of bottled dressing and prefer just the varied ways to use oil and vinegar. This is a lovely version and will happily give it a try.Happy New Year Velva!
Redecórate con Lola Godoy
Bellisimo, Feliz Año Nuevo.http://redecoratelg.blogspot.com.es/
The JR
So much better than bottled.
Valerie Harrison (bellini)
If only I had some of those Meyer lemons…sigh.
Unknown
I love homemade sauces/dressings. They are so much better and I think pretty fun to make! Love this idea. I'll be using it soon 🙂 Thanks!