Aunt Jae’s Fragrant Vinaigrette “Maranade”
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 garlic cloves, smashed
Leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme, rosemary, basil–whatever you have on hand
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Aunt Jae’s Creamy garlic dressing
½ cup sour cream
¾ cup mayo
2 garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane
2 to 3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup gorgonzola cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Salad
A large bowl of mixed greens, such as romaine, butter lettuce, arugula, and radicchio
Homemade Croutons (see below), for serving
1. To make the vinaigrette, in a medium bowl, mix the olive oil, cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh
herbs, shallot, sugar, vinegar, and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Keep in a jar or cruet
next to the stove if using immediately. This stuff gets more powerful every day, so make a big
batch and store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
2. To make the dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk the sour cream, mayo, garlic, 2 tablespoons of
the vinegar, the sugar, and the gorgonzola until the gorgonzola fuses with the dressing. Adjust
with more vinegar and salt and pepper, to taste.
3. In a large bowl, toss the greens in the about 3 tablespoons of the “marinade” so every bit gets
coated in the that wonderful oil. Next, drizzle the creamy garlic dressing over the salad and toss.
It will be wonderfully saturated and ready for a whole boatload of big ol’ homemade croutons.
Homemade Croutons
¼ cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves, grated on a Microplane
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 slices white sandwich bread, cut into ½-inch cubes
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss in the cubed bread and spread it
evenly on a large rimmed sheet pan.
3. Bake for 20 minutes, tossing and stirring halfway through, until golden brown. Serve warm or
cooled or store in airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.