Aunt Trish's salad dressing over a green salad & grilled haloumi cheese - YUM!
Here’s the cast of characters:
3/4 cup of olive oil or canola oil
the juice of 2 lemons
1 clove of garlic, peeled (leave it whole)
4 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. sugar
a dash of paprika
salt & pepper to taste
It couldn’t be easier. You put everything in a jar, shake it up, and let it stew in the fridge for 24 hours, then shake it again before using. I made a tossed green salad of romaine, shredded carrots, sliced radishes, cucumber, quartered Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced purple onion, kalamata olives, pepperoncini peppers and feta cheese. Then we shook up our jar of Aunt Trish’s and poured it over the top. To say that we both loved this salad dressing would be an understatement. It was so good, we were tempted to put our faces into our bowls and lick them clean. Or grab a straw and suck up all the remnants. But instead, we used some toasted garlic bread to sop it all up. No drop was wasted. We enjoyed it so whole heartedly that we could have put our salad bowls back into the cupboard without washing them first. We didn’t, of course, but we probably could have.
Besides being knocked out by how great this was on a salad, my mind was racing through all the other things I could use it on. It would be a great marinade for grilled meats. It would be fantastic drizzled over a sandwich in place of boring old mayonnaise or mustard. This would knock your socks off as a dressing for a pasta salad. You could cube up salami, mozzarella cheese, olives and Italian peppers and make a fabulous antipasto tray for parties. Don’t get me started on using it on a cold seafood salad. This is not a salad dressing, it’s an obsession.
As always, I’m going to refer you to the source so you can see the recipe the way Ree intended – with fabulous photos and an engaging back story. Click here to be transported to salad dressing heaven at The Pioneer Woman.com.
Inside NanaBread's Head 
I was just thinking about making my own salad dressing and had been looking for a good Italian recipe. But this one sounds so good and basic I will definitely try it. Your description of the salad you had the other night made my mouth water. Mmmm.
Oh, Kandi…
That salad at dinner was awesome, but the one I made for lunch so I could take this photo was even better! By then, the garlic had been in there for a few days, and it was glorious, especially over that grilled haloumi cheese. Have you ever had it? It’s a Greek cheese, like feta. It’s salty, a little rubbery, and grills beautifully because it doesn’t melt and run. It’s my new cheese fetish, and it’s a perfect mate for this salad dressing. You’ll have to let me know if you liked it once you try it.
My “go to” salad dressing recipe is almost identical to this one. But you really had me at the grilled haloumi cheese.
I’ll bet I did! I saw that cheese board you had on your blog last week. You’re a cheesel like me. That’s TCP slang for “weasel that steals all his cheese.” If you haven’t tried haloumi yet, you really must. It’s good stuff, and I love that you can throw it on a lightly oiled griddle or non-stick skillet and toast it up like that. Mmm…mmm…good!
I just added haloumi cheese to my list for my next “big shop” in town. I’ve never had it, but I must have any cheese that can be fried like that. Reminds me of saganaki. (Opa!)
What is this saganaki you speak of? Now I have something to search for, too!
Θα πάρω άλλο ένα!
(that’s Greek for “I’ll have another one!”)
PS – I love Google Translate!
Saganaki is pan seared Greek cheese, served in a little frying pan that is lit on fire at your table. And say “Opa!” (or roughly translated “Yay!”)You slather the gooey melted cheesy goodness on pita bread. There is a fairly large Greek population in metro Detroit. I had the fortune to live next to a Greek family before moving up north.
Good gravy. That sounds awesome. I stand my my Greek statement: “I’ll have another one!” I wish your old neighbor lived next door to me, and I wish you lived on the other side.
YUM! Looks delish!
Oh, Jenn…you have no idea! I love lemon and garlic, so this was a perfect pairing. Like Fred & Ginger. Or Fred & Barney. I’m still talking about that salad in the photo. It was that good.
I literally laughed out loud and choked on my caffeine-free diet coke when I read, “Duh, Winning!”. The salad dressing looks delish, but that made me laugh for real.
http://www.laundryandvodka.com
I apologize for making you choke,
but I am not apologetic for making you laugh!
Glad you enjoyed it. -j
Thank you for sharing this one! I’ve been unimpressed by the vinaigrettes at the grocery store lately and my old standby (while delicious) has been getting a bit routine. It’s time for a change.
I agree, Kat. I’ve thrown several store bought vinagarettes in the trash lately. They’re either too sweet or too boring. After finding this recipe, I think I’m done with store bought. Hope you like it as much as I do!