I love this green summer sauce so much I might drink it someday.
The other day, I showed my husband a video from Gaby Dalkin. We’ve known Gaby for years, long before she had a food empire. In fact, her husband Thomas designed one of the early versions of the Gluten-Free Girl website. We like them both and I trust Gaby’s taste. So when she said that her simple basil vinaigrette had been a fan favorite for a decade, I suggested that we try making it.
My husband agreed. And then he said, “You know, I made this basil and cilantro vinaigrette about 25 years ago when I worked at the Sorrento…”
Go, I said. Let’s make it.
The sense memory announces itself to him. When my husband can smell a recipe he made in a restaurant, we make it. There’s no point in resisting. It’s going to be good.
That’s something I’ve learned along the way that helps me cope with hard days. Let go of meal plans and expectations. If a joyful memory arises, make that food again, that day. Don’t wait. Right now.
We had this green summer sauce for dinner on Sunday, draped over baked sweet potatoes and salmon. (And corn! We all have this corn song memorized now.)
On Monday, I drizzled this over an omelette for breakfast. For lunch, we ate potato salad with this sauce as the dressing. Last night, we ate a steak salad with cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, romaine, sunflower seeds, thinly sliced rare steak, and this dressing. This morning, I stirred some of this sauce into thick plain yogurt and topped it with black olives, thin slices of tomatoes and shredded carrots for breakfast.
I will probably have to drink some before bed. It’s just so good, this sauce.
Perhaps you’d like to make your life easier this week and make a big batch?
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