Do I support monogamy? You betcha. Cause Suzen has informed me of the long, painful death I would experience. Not that I need to be threatened. I mean, do I look like Newt Gingrich?
On the other hand, a man is entitled to a little variety in life. When I met Suzen, I was so impressed with the salad she made. Her own, private, secret recipe for a perfect vinaigrette. I love it. I still do.
But, it’s been 25 years. A minimum of 100 salads a years with that vinaigrette. Let’s see, that’s hundreds, no thousands of times I’ve experienced those flavors.
I’ve dropped hints. “Did you see that salad thingy in The Times?” Or, “What kind of salad are we having tonight?”
Finally, I bombed hints. I would leave cookbooks open, turned to a page for a great salad dressing idea. I bought ingredients. In desperation, I bought Perfect Vinaigrettes by Linda Dannenberg.
All to no avail. So, today, I am taking a step forward and announcing that I am doing other vinaigrettes. I still love my wife, but I have my needs.
My journey began last night with this very clever twist on the traditional vinaigrette. It appealed to me for two reasons. First, there is no vinegar, just lemon and lime juice. Second, it calls for chopped mint and parsley. Just a few feet out my front door, we are growing both. So, I was already prepared to try this vinaigrette.
It is delightfully distinct and different. I followed the recipe carefully, because the combination of mint and parsley is essential to the flavor, yet you do not want to lose the citrus overtones. I served this dressing over a plate of sliced tomatoes and onions. It will be fabulous with market fresh greens as well.
Lemon-Lime Vinaigrette
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon minced onion
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Preparation:
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, lime juice, onion, salt, and several turns of pepper. Stir until the salt is dissolved. Add the mustard, then slowly whisk in the oil, whisking until the mixture is emulsified. Stir in the mint and parsley and serve immediately.
Source: Perfect Vinaigrettes by Linda Dannenberg