Creamy Feta-Red Wine Vinegar Dressing

Making salad dressing is one of the easiest things you can do in the kitchen…all you need is oil and an acid (citrus or vinegar) plus a little salt and pepper and you have a delicious vinaigrette.  Want it sweet?  Add a little honey, sugar, or jam/jelly.  Want it creamy?  Add a little Dijon, mayo, or in this case feta.  Creamy feta-red wine vinegar dressing is one of my all time favorite salad dressings.  I’ve already posted the recipe in the past, but no pictures!  Time for an update!

I’ve said it before, why get stuck with a whole bottle of dressing (and the same monotonous salad) day after day, when you can so easily change it up?  I just read a similar post over at Christie’s Corner…couldn’t have said it better myself.

Creamy Feta-Red Wine Vinegar Dressing
adapted from davidlebovitz.com (he wrote the ice cream book that I love, The Perfect Scoop)

Makes about 1 cup (or 8 2-tablespoon servings)*

4 ounces feta cheese
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon finely-chopped fresh oregano (or a pinch or two of dried oregano...Italian seasoning would work too)
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons water
salt and black pepper

Mash the feta, vinegar, and oregano with a fork until fairly smooth.

Mix in the olive oil and water, until smooth. Taste first (because the feta is already salty) and then season with salt and pepper. This dressing will keep for four days in the refrigerator. (After mashing the feta and red wine vinegar, you could add all ingredients to a jar and shake it to combine).

Per serving (2 tablespoons): 69 calories, 6 g fat (3 g saturated), 1 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 2 g protein (exchanges: 1 ½ fat; WW points: 2)

* The original recipe says it makes 3/4 of a cup, but I ended up with about 1 cup

Lagniappe...

David suggests serving it 1) over a Caesar-ish salad with romaine lettuce, red onions, and garlic croutons, 2) alongside tabbouleh, 3) mashed with canned tuna fish and chopped capers or green olives and scallions, 4) drizzled over a plate of seasonal tomatoes with fresh chopped oregano, 5) tossed with a mix of winter greens, slices of pear, and toasted pecans, 6) over grilled chicken breasts or tuna steaks, 7) with falafel, or 8) as a dip for toasted pita chips, radishes, or raw vegetables.

What am I going to use it on?  A Greek salad consisting of romaine lettuce, shredded carrot, diced    cucumber, oven roasted tomatoes, artichoke hearts, chickpeas, and crushed pita chips.