Sun-dried Tomato and Rosemary Vinaigrette

I made this Sun-dried Tomato and Rosemary Vinaigrette yesterday for a ‘socially distanced’ picnic.  I love the combination of sun dried tomatoes and rosemary. They feel like the perfect ‘transitional’ flavor combination. The tomatoes represent the last vestiges of summer, and the rosemary the move to warmer flavors of autumn.

Although it was very easy to make, it took a bit of pre-planning.  I started the dressing the night before by softening some sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, and soaking some red onions in the red wine vinegar.  They soaked overnight, then I  used that oil and vinegar to make the dressing.  I used a few sun dried tomato pieces and a few onion pieces in the dressing.  The rest I added to the pasta salad so they wouldn’t go to waste (plus they would tie the flavors together!)

The Sun-dried Tomato and Rosemary Vinaigrette came together in less than five minutes the next day.  Really quite simple!  It would be great on a side salad that accompanies pasta with puttanesca sauce. It also is perfect for pasta salad. I used about half of this dressing on pasta salad I made. The rest I put in a small bottle and placed in the refrigerator.  I will last three to four weeks, but you will probably use it all up by then! And then I will have to make it again – it is that good!! 

Sun-Dried Tomato and Rosemary Vinaigrette

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: olive oil, Rosemary, Sun Dried Tomato, vinegar

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 Sun-Dried Tomatoes not packed in oil
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup red onion very thin sliced
• ⅓ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 rosemary sprig 6”, stripped and leaves chopped fine (about 2 tsp fresh rosemary)
• 1 clove of garlic peeled and lightly crushed
• ¼ tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 TBS capers roughly chopped
• 2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Cut the sun dried tomatoes into very thin strips and put in a small bowl
• Cover with the olive oil. Be sure all the tomato pieces are under the oil. Cover with and let sit on the counter overnight, or at least 4 hours
• Place the cut onions in another small bowl, and cover with the red wine vinegar. Again, be sure all the onion pieces are under the vinegar. Cover and let set in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 4 hour
• When you are ready to make the dressing, place a mesh strainer over the bowl you will be making your dressing in
• Strain the vinegar from the onion into the work bowl. Retain the onions
• Using a different bowl, strain the oil from the sun dried tomatoes. Retain both the oil and the tomatoes
• Use 8 – 10 pieces of the onion, and very finely chop them. Add the chopped onions to the vinegar.
• Add the garlic clove, and chopped rosemary to the vinegar. Set aside on the counter for about 30 minutes
• Remove the garlic clove. Add dijon mustard, honey, lemon juice and capers and begin whisking vigorously.
• Continue to whisk, and slowly pour the olive oil into the vinegar in a thin, steady stream. Continue to whisk until all the oil has been added and for about 20 – 30 seconds more.
• Test the dressing, and add kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Notes

I made this dressing for a pasta salad. I used the remaining onions and sundried tomato strips in the pasta salad.

I used about half of this dressing for the pasta salad. The rest I put in a small bottle and placed in the refrigerator. I will last three to four weeks, but you will probably use it all up by then!