Basil Vinaigrette

This dressing is fresh and bright tasting, the perfect way to use up the basil in your CSA Share! The basil bunches in our CSA Shares are typically much larger than the bunches or clamshells you find in supermarkets. A huge bunch of basil might seem overwhelming, but there are lots of easy to preserve it and they are all quick and easy! I’ve tried these all and my number one favorite is still Basil Pesto, it freezes wonderfully and is great to have on hand for easy dinners. Spread on sandwiches, toss with cooked pasta, or spread on pizza and flatbread. You can also freeze fresh herbs in water or oil, and if you like to cook along with us during the season try this method. I’m planning on pulling some preserved herbs out during the fall harvest. To use your basil right away this dressing is a great option, and it stays fairly green overnight in the refrigerator.

I used a food processor to blend up this batch, the food processor we use at the farm is a 7-cup Kitchenaid. It mixed up a chunky batch, because the bowl is so big. I really enjoyed it, but if you want a smoother dressing try an immersion blender. I also doubled the batch so it would spin better in the larger machine. The dressing will keep for about 3 days if you want to make a larger batch, it just won’t be as bright green the next day.

Basil Vinaigrette

1 cup basil leaves, washed and dried
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Mince garlic in food processor. Process the garlic alone in the processor, then add the basil leaves and pulse to combine. Stream in the olive oil and vinegar. Process until basil is incorporated. Add salt and pepper, process briefly. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.