Sun Dried Tomato & Porcini Mushroom Vinaigrette

I've been meaning to whip up a dressing, since I'm getting tired of Ranch every day. I've had a partial bag of sun dried tomatoes and a few dried porcinis in the pantry. Neither was enough for any real meal, so I thought a dressing would work well.

I made this work friendly, but feel free to toss in a fresh or roasted garlic clove, as well.

This would go well on salads, of course, but you could toss with some grilled veggies, too. Drizzle it on chicken or beef. Dipping sauce for artichokes...


Sun Dried Tomato & Porcini Mushroom Vinaigrette

Makes 6 servings

2 sun dried tomatoes
4-5 dried porcini mushrooms
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/8 cup olive oil (or some of the oil from the tomatoes, if you're using oil soaked sun dried tomatoes)
1 tsp salt (or to taste)
fresh ground pepper
pinch of sugar or sweetener, optional

In a tall, narrow glass, soak the dried mushrooms in 1/4 cup boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes. If using dry (not oil soaked) tomatoes, add them to the water, as well.

Remove the tomatoes and mushrooms from the liquid and chop them. Put them in the blender jar. Add vinegar and blend and pulse until smooth. With the blender running, drizzle in the olive oil and run until it's emulsified. It won't take long, because the tomatoes and mushrooms add some body and substance to the dressing.

Taste the soaking water. If it's bitter, discard it. If it's tasty, carefully pour off the liquid, leaving as much of the sediment behind (dried mushrooms can leave some grit...) as possible. Use enough of the soaking water (and extra water, if needed) to bring the dressing to 6oz. Shake, stir, or blend to combine.

Salt and pepper to taste. Add a pinch of your sweetener of choice, if desired. Just a pinch.

One ounce equals two tablespoons, so this makes six servings of dressing.

Nutrition, per 2 tbsp -- Calories: 52, Fat: 5g, Carbs: 3g, Fiber: .5g Protein: 0