This makes a salad dressing with greens, blueberries, almonds, and mozzarella, but works well with cold shrimp or chicken, or a salad of sliced radishes and green onions, or slaws.
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons orange juice (fresh preferred, peel reserved)
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh basil, most tender leaves, snipped finely with scissors or finely sliced with a sharp knife
A slice of orange peel if using fresh orange juice
METHOD:
Use a non-reactive bowl for making the dressing. If you have the peel, rub the bottom of the bowl vigorously with the outside of the peel, until you can see traces of oil and smell the orange oil in the bowl.
Add the salt and pepper and the cream to the bowl. Whip the cream until it is starting to thicken.
Add the orange juice and vinegar and continue to whip until the cream thickens and resembles a Ranch or other creamy yet pourable dressing.
Fold in the basil and allow flavors to marry for 15-20 minutes before using.
Chef’s Notes:
If you have blood orange, or another fragrant but acidic type of orange, feel free to use that. Blood orange juice may yield a more intense dressing color, but it tastes nice. Using the peel of the orange is not necessary, but it adds more dimension and aroma to the dressing. You can also add a drop or two of orange flower water to the cream if you don’t have peel. This is a good tip if you are using orange juice other than fresh squeezed.
YIELD: 3/4 cup
