Saucí Verde Dressing

Yield: 3-4 serving

Time: 10 minutes (with chopping)

Saucí Verde can be easily modified into a wonderful dressing for salads. It’s able to hold up and complement the strong bite of arugula, but is also great on a spinach or mixed-green salad.

I like to simply stretch the Saucí Verde with olive oil, and often give it a little creaminess with either yogurt, or artisanal mayo (if staying low-carb). A little extra honey takes the edge off the bite of the added olive oil (and greek yogurt, if you use that). Often, I whisk in half an avocado too, which just makes it even creamer and more delicious.

A typical salad I’d make with the dressing-version of Saucí Verde would be to toss 2-3 tbsp of the dressing with arugula, cucumber, and cherry or grape tomatoes, then top it with caramelized balsamic or quick-pickled onions, and then sharp Parmesan cheese. The variations are infinite, and I hope to hear from some of you about how you’ve tweaked it in your meals.

Although I probably do the balsamic onions more often, I’ve written out an easy quick-pickling recipe in the main recipe below. For caramelized balsamic onions, just slice an onion in half then slice half-discs, sauté the half-rings in a pan with some butter or olive oil, or a little of each, and salt. When they’ve softened and become translucent, drizzle a little balsamic vinegar at a time into the pan and keep stirring, letting it reduce with the onions.

Ingredients:

The dressing:

• 2 tbsp Saucí Verde
  
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  
• 1 tbsp yogurt, greek yogurt, or natural mayo
  
• 1/2 – 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 avocado

Quick-pickled onions:

• 1 red onion
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar, or 1/4 each of white vinegar and sherry, apple cider, or another interesting vinegar.
• 1 tsp honey (I’m staying low-carb, but you can add up to 1-1/2 tbsp honey or maple syrup)
• 1 tsp salt

Typical salad components:

• 2-3 handfuls of  arugula
• 1 pt cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 large cucumber, sliced and cut into half-moons
• parmesan cheese for topping

Preparation:

Quick-pickled onions:

1. Combine the vinegars, water, honey and salt in a small saucepan on medium heat until simmering.
2. Pack the onions into a large mason jar (probably best to put it in the sink for when you pour the hot vinegar in)
3. Pour the hot vinegar mixture into the jar, use a spoon or knife to press the onions down into the mixture. If you don’t have enough liquids, I found a quick fix is to add a little more boiling water with a tsp or two of vinegar, till they are covered.
4. Let cool to room temperature, about 20-30 minutes. Keep the extra in the fridge, they are great on all kinds of things (tacos, breakfasts, etc) for the next few days.

The Saucí Verde Dressing:

1. Combine the Saucí Verde and olive oil in a bowl and whisk together.
2. Add the yogurt or mayo, honey and salt, and whisk briskly to combine.
3. If using avocado, mash the half avocado into the mixture, then whisk together till smooth.

The Salad:

1. Put the salad components you want to toss in a large bowl and add 2-3 tablespoons of the dressing.
2. Stir and toss until everything is coated (I like to not overdo it but certainly want enough to coat everything).
3. Serve the salad on plates, top with pickled or balsamic onions and Parmesan cheese.