We planted more than ten little basil plants earlier this year and now my garden is overgrown with luscious green goodness. Since I have an entire bed of basil, I am of course, on the lookout for basil recipes.
When I looked back in my files, I found this one by Charlie Palmer. This recipe is not “inspired by” his, it is my version of his. If you write recipes, you’ll understand the nuance.
I was lucky enough to meet (and work for) Charlie Palmer close to 20 years ago. At that time I lived in New York City and had started my own business, Ecosav, an environmental consulting company that set up recycling programs for Fortune 500 companies and high end businesses. Palmer was one of my first clients; I was fortunate enough to set up a program for his amazing restaurant Aureole.
Although in those days my focus was on what was coming out of restaurants, rather than what was going in, or being served, I instantly fell in love with the operation that Palmer had started. His was a very focused and very serious business striving for (and reaching) excellence in every area.
Now I am a fan of his cookbooks and find myself lost in them for hours on end. Here’s a dairy free, nut free basil salad dressing for you:
Basil Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 ounces fresh picked basil
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a vitamix
- Blend on high speed until smooth
- Serve over greens or kelp noodles
Equipment
Below you will find additional gluten free salad dressings to help you deal with the bounty of greens in your garden:
Minnie(@thelady8home) says
Thanks. This sounds really great one and quite easy too.
BTW do join me. I am hosting a gala dinner extravaganza, a fabulous linky party for all. It’s going to go on for the entire weekend. You can post anything – appetizers, drinks, soups, stews, desserts, finger foods – anything that takes your fancy. You can also post party decor or other party related ideas.
Please do come and join the party and help me make it a success.
http://www.thelady8home.com/2012/09/06/weekend-dinner-extravaganza/
KC says
Two ounces of basil…. I have an electronic scale, but would hate to take it out and start putting basil leaves on it, one by one.
Could you give an idea of volume of basil, packed. Or # of large-ish leaves?
Thanks!
Beverly says
I would be interested in this as well.
Vita @ Juicer Depot says
Thanks Elena. I keep looking at my basil wondering what I can do with it. Your recipe looks easy enough for me.
Olivia@ OmNom Love says
Yum! We have an abundance of basil, too. This sounds delicious and incredibly easy to make.
Judy says
I make up pesto in half-pint jars and freeze it to preserve the summer wonderfulness that is basil.
I like Cristina’s idea of pureeing the basil and freezing it. I will have to try that next year.
Moe says
Can I use dried? If so how much would I use?
Thanks,
Moe
KC says
Thought I’d chime in. NOOOOOOO! Dried basil is a whole different animal! Not interchangeable with fresh!!!
Hope you agree, Elana ; )
christine says
Great recipe! I also puree basil and freeze it in ice cube trays. That way I can add it to soups, sauces, dressings, marinades, pestos, etc, in the winter months when it’s expensive to buy at the store.
I blanch extra greens, puree and freeze in ice cube trays for use in smoothies, soups, broths, etc. The goitrogenic effects of cruciforms is apparent for me but the light blanching solves that issue. Then I get summer fresh greens in the colder months too.
DamselflyDiary says
Thanks Elana for these recent dressing recipes. My hubby and I are planning on doing a cleanse diet in the next week or two and wanted some different dressings and veggies dips we could use so we don’t get bored with our veggies. We can’t wait to try this one and the avocado recipe!
Cindy says
We use something similar to this as a marinade for chicken, shrimp and even pork chops. Hubby always reserves some prior to marinading to serve over the top. PS works great with Cilantro too for a Mexican twist.
Beth @ Tasty Yummies says
This looks so delicious. I have an abundance of basil right now. What a perfect way to use it. I cannot wait to make this Thank you!