My desire here was to create a dressing that mimicked
the "seven seas" Italian dressing I used to
eat while growing up. I can remember chunks of carrots,
garlic and herbs that were suspended in the vinegar and
oil. Here, I have embellished a bit to kick it up a notch
with extra virgin olive oil, good red wine vinegar and
a touch of the oven from the roasted vegetables.
Yield: 1½ quarts
Ingedients:
1 Carrot, 1 inch cubes
1 White or yellow onion, 1 inch cubes
1 Celery stalk, 1 inch pieces
1 head Garlic, peeled (approx. 10-12 cloves)
1 c. Red Wine vinegar
¼ c. Sugar
3 c. Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 oz. Fresh Oregano leaves, chopped
1 oz. Fresh Basil, chopped
½ oz. Fresh Thyme leaves, chopped
1 oz. Fresh Parsley, chopped
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place carrots, celery, onion,
and garlic in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper,
small amount of olive oil to coat vegetables, toss and
place on a baking pan. Roast in oven for 20-30 minutes,
until vegetables are cooked through (anticipate tips of
veggies to be slightly blackened). Allow vegetables to
cool then place all vegetables in a 2-qt. food processor
or with an upright blender. Add red wine vinegar, sugar
and pulse to puree. Begin to drizzle in olive oil while
processor is running, shut off when all oil has been added.
Add fresh chopped herbs, pulse to combine, and chill.
Note: I like to store homemade vinaigrettes in
left over mayonnaise or peanut butter jars. They are airtight
and are clear so you can see which type of dressing you
have made. Simply remove the label, thoroughly clean the
jar, and you will have a good, clear storage container
for your dressing. This recipe makes almost 48 ounces
of finished product. It will last well in the refrigerator
but you may consider giving some to a friend or neighbor.
