Dressings, Sides

Orange Herb Vinaigrette

Highmade Pickled Veggies

Prepped veggies:

1 small head cauliflower, cut into small pieces
1 small yellow onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
2 large jalapeños, seeded and diced
8 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
4 ounces French green beans
5-6 small sweet peppers, thinly sliced
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on the diagonal

Brine:

3 C filtered water
3 C apple cider vinegar
1/4 C Kosher salt
6 bay leaves
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C honey
Zest of half a lemon
Zest of half an orange
2 t black peppercorns
2 t coriander seeds

Place prepped vegetables in a large stainless steel bowl. In a large non-reactive pot, add brine ingredients and bring to a boil for about one minute. Careful not to inhale too deeply near the boiling pot. Carefully pour boiling liquid over prepped vegetables. Allow to sit for 15 or so minutes. Place a Pyrex pie pan on top of the veggies making sure that they are completely submerged in the brining liquid. Place the veggies into the refrigerator overnight for marination. They taste better the longer they marinate. These will hold for a couple of weeks, maybe longer.

Place into jars for storage or gifting. Great condiment. Other vegetables are suitable such as radishes, fennel, cucumbers, turnips….

Chili Spiced Pecans

2 T butter
1/4 C light brown sugar
1 t paprika
2 t chili powder
1 T cumin
1/2 t salt

4 C pecan halves

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

In a large preheated skillet, add butter and swirl until melted and bubbly. Add brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt and mix well. Add pecans and stir to coat evenly with sugar/butter mix. Add apple cider vinegar and bring mixture to a boil. Continue to stir and mix until liquid evaporates and pecans are evenly coated. Spread pecans on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick baking spray. Place into a preheated 325 degree oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate cookie sheet and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack. Pecans can stick together. Break apart for munching. Careful, these are impossible to stop eating.

Creamy Dill Dressing

1 1/2 C mayonnaise
2 T coarse grain mustard
3 T apple cider vinegar
1/2 t celery seed
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t salt
2 t honey
1/3 C of fresh dill

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor.

Process until smooth.

Stick a carrot in it!

Cranberry Compote

4 C fresh cranberries

1 C orange juice

½ C sugar

1 t ground ginger

½ t cinnamon

½ t orange extract

Zest from one orange

A smidge of this on top of the maple pumpkin crème brulee…on a left-over turkey sandwich with brie…many uses.

Combine all ingredients in a stainless sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until cranberries burst and liquid is reduced. Some whole berries are fine. Chill and serve.

Chunky Marinara

(makes enough for 10 servings)

¼ C EVOO

1 ½ t crushed red pepper flakes

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

2 carrots, peeled and finely diced

2 T minced garlic

2 – 28 ounce cans of San Marzano crushed tomatoes (Carla insists!)

1/3 C fresh basil, coarsely chopped

1 T Kosher salt

1 T sugar

Juice from one lemon

In a preheated sauté pan, add EVOO. Once it shimmers, add red pepper flakes and season the oil for a minute or two. Add onion and carrots. Sauté over medium heat. Add a spritz of salt and pepper. Once onion is translucent, add garlic. Once garlic releases its aroma, add remaining ingredients. Simmer over low heat for about 30-40 minutes, covered. With these crushed tomatoes, you want to contain the steam and not evaporate the liquid. Of course, a small amount of water can be added should the sauce become too thick. Again, I find that this sauce prepared a day ahead works best. The sauce can also be frozen and used at a later date.

Orange Soy Ginger Vinaigrette

½ C Mango Ginger Habanero Sauce

This can be purchased at HEB. If you do not live in the area, check out jelly.com. Most stores carry a full line of Fischer & Wieser products.

1/3 C rice wine vinegar

2 T soy sauce

1 ½ T Sambal

Zest from half an orange

1 C olive oil

Combine all ingredients, except olive oil, in a pitcher. Using an immersion blender, mix well. With blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until a smooth emulsification forms.

Apple Cranberry Chutney

6 Gala apples, peeled and diced

1 ½ yellow onions, chopped small

1 red bell pepper, diced small

1 ½ C cider vinegar

1 ½ C brown sugar

2 C fresh cranberries

1 C golden raisins

¼ C fresh ginger, finely chopped

1 t dry mustard

1 t salt

1 t red pepper flakes

Zest of 1 orange

Place into mini-sized Mason jars as a holiday gift. GREAT flavors. Warm colors.

Combine all ingredients in a stainless soup pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer (uncovered) until juices thicken, apples soften and cranberries break apart. This will take some time. Syrupy consistency is the goal. Transfer chutney to a storage container allowing cooling before covering and refrigerating. A great condiment for Thanksgiving dinner.

Red Onion Marmalade

Delicious on a sandwich. Perfect with Brie or blue cheese. Or serve as a condiment with your Thanksgiving bird.

½ C olive oil

6 red onions, cut in half and thinly sliced

10-12 garlic cloves, halved

1 C sugar

2 C red wine vinegar

1 t mustard seeds

Zest of one orange

1 T salt

2 t black pepper

6 bay leaves

1 T dried thyme

Combine all ingredients in a sauté pan and cook over medium high heat until onions and garlic soften and liquid starts to form a syrupy consistency. Reduce heat and continue cooking until almost all liquid has cooked out. Be patient! Very sticky. Remove from heat and allow cooling. Store in the refrigerator. Good for several weeks.

Rosemary Vinaigrette

(recipe makes 1 ¼ C)

Sherry vinegar gives this dressing an earthy, more complex flavor.

¼ C sherry vinegar

2 t Dijon

½ t salt

¼ t black pepper

1 T honey

1 ½ T fresh rosemary leaves

1 C olive oil

This is my favorite stick blender. It separates for easy cleaning. Very useful gadget.

Combine all ingredients, except oil, in a pitcher. Use an immersion blender to mix well. Make sure rosemary leaves are finely chopped. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while machine is running and continue to blend until a smooth emulsification forms.

Orange Tarragon Vinaigrette

(recipe makes 1 ¼ C)

¼ C apple cider vinegar

2 t Dijon

½ t salt

¼ t black pepper

1 T honey

2 t orange zest

1 T fresh tarragon leaves

1 C olive oil

This container works well for making salad dressing with the immersion blender.

Place all ingredients, except oil, into a pitcher. Using an immersion blender, blend ingredients until well combined and tarragon is finely chopped. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while blender is running. Continue to blend until a smooth emulsification forms. Careful to keep blender below the service while it is on.