Ingredients:

• ¼ Cup          Lemon Juice

• ¼ Cup          Rice Vinegar

• 3                  Garlic Cloves, finely chopped.

• 2 Tbsp        Shallot, finely chopped.

• ½ Cup         Olive Oil

• 1 Tbsp          Imperial Lemon Pepper

• 3 dashes    Hot sauce, optional (see Note 2)

• Herbs*        See Note 3.

How To:

1. Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.  The mason jar you plan to store the dressing in is also a great mixing vessel.  Add the ingredients, give it a good shake, and good to go.

Notes:

1. For a standard salad dressing, the traditional ratio of oil to vinegar is three parts oil to one part vinegar. Here we are using one part lemon juice, one part vinegar, and two parts olive oil. Try mixing different vinegars and ratios to your preference. Options might include ratios of white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, apple cider vinegar, etc.

2. If you care for a bit of a spicy tang to your dressings and marinades, a few dashes of hot sauce is a must. As mentioned in the gumbo recipes, we enjoy a good Louisiana style hot sauce which has a vinegar base and works very well with a salad dressing. Louisiana Brand Hot Sauce, Crystal, and Tabasco are all great choices. 

3. This dressing recipe is a great base of flavor.  If you like, it can be modified by adding a bit of fresh or dried herbs. Try it as a marinade with a teaspoon of dried dill, add some fresh basil, or add a bit of chopped parsley to brighten up the overall flavor.

4. Marinating Window: Most proteins are fine after marinating for an hour or two in the fridge.  It is fine to marinate in the refrigerator overnight, and this will intensify the flavors, but it is possible to over marinate. A good guideline is to keep the marinating time within a 24-hour window.