I am completely obsessed with this black pepper dressing. Full of zing and ready for action, you can use it on so much more than just green salad. I keep finding new things to put it on, and I must say, it was one of my most favorite things all summer.

Sometime last spring, my husband started making a few dressings at once, leaving them on our kitchen ledge ready for quick salads. This simple act of care gives me so much joy - and makes lunch and dinner prep a bit easier. He'll usually haul out, chop, and ready ingredients on a weekend day, then label each bottle. It's fun to see what flavors of the week we have, always changing based on whatever bits and pieces of ingredients we have leftover around the kitchen or garden. I'm partial to the herby and garlic dressings, but Asian flavors and the occasional bright citrus shake things up. Making dressing each time I put together a salad always seemed fussy to me, but mixing up the flavors ahead of time has made salad a little more fun in our house.

Black Pepper Dressing
2 tsp. fresh lemon zest
1 tsp. green onion, minced finely
2 tsp. coarsely ground fresh pepper
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. olive oil
1/2 c. red wine vinegar

Wash and zest the lemon, reserving the rest of the lemon in the refrigerator for another use. Mince the green onion. Grind the pepper into a bowl and measure it. Place these and the remaining ingredients into a jar with a lid. Shake well. Store at room temperature and shake before each use.

Ways to enjoy a dressing (besides green salad!)

  • Pour it over roasted or grilled vegetables after cooking.
  • Add it to fresh chopped veg and a cold, cooked grain for an instant grain bowl.
  • Chicken tenders? Try this as a side dipping sauce.
  • Marinate meat for the grill.
  • Turn a drained, dried can of chickpeas into a crunchy snack by tossing with a bit of dressing and roasting until crisp at 400F for about 20 minutes.