Cilantro Vinaigrette at Home

This delicious salad dressing recipe is simple and fun to make at home. With a Spanish twist to this emulsified delight, can be enjoyed year-round, even during the holidays. It feeds up to 20 people. The dressing goes deliciously well with romaine lettuce, roasted corn, avocado slices, sliced green onion, black beans, tomato and other taco salad components, such as ground beef. If used during the holidays, use with romaine lettuce mixed with spinach and winter vegetables such as beets, pears, apricots, cheese such as smoked cheddar or brie cheese, cornbread or even Mexican style as a dip for enchiladas.  

Cilantro vinaigrette also makes an awesome marinade for meats, such as tenderloin, ground beef for burger patties, and more!

Ingredients: 

• 1/4 cup lime juice (fresh-squeezed or store-bought) (fresh uses about 6 limes)
• 3 bunches fresh cilantro
• 2 fresh, whole jalapeno
• 2 whole garlic cloves
• 1 small red onion 
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil

Directions: 

• Zest and squeeze fresh limes.  Make sure no seeds make it into the bowl.
• Rough chop onion, jalapeno, garlic and cilantro, and add to bowl with lime zest.  
• Using a hand-held beurre mixer or food processor, grind ingredients to a fine chop. If a food chopper is not available, fine chop by hand using a chef knife.  
• Empty contents into a large plastic bowl (metal bowls will pick up a slight metallic taste), add Dijon mustard, salt and pepper and honey. Using a wire whisk or hand-held beurre mixer, blend well.
• While blending, pour extra virgin olive oil in a slow stream to mix, slowly emulsifying with acids.  After half poured, you can add more rapidly. Once the dressing has thickened to desired thickness, stop adding oil.
• Let sit and let the flavors "marry" or combine together overnight, and then adjust seasonings the following day.