Limoncello Dressing

It turns out that a salad is the perfect dinner for an April evening when power and timing are uncertain due to storms. Almost anything you have in the refrigerator can go into a salad, but it’s the dressing that is the crowning jewel. I sampled a bottled dressing at a gathering the other day that included limoncello as one of the ingredients. My passion for growing lemons is no secret and so of course a few make it into a couple of batches of homemade limoncello every year. Yesterday seemed like a good time to experiment with a salad dressing. It is rare to have a salad at our house with a dressing that doesn’t include honey. Lemons and bees seem to go hand in hand here! The first batch I tried included lemon zest and it was just to bitter so a little adjusting with a fresh start was in order. I finally got the taste I wanted and couldn’t wait to try it for dinner.

The salad ingredients were spinach and strawberries with beautiful slices of burrata cheese on top. Toasted walnut with a little butter and sugar gave the perfect crunch. Maybe it was the relief when the storm passed but I promise that was one of the more stellar dinners I’ve enjoyed in a while. Give this a try – you and anyone lucky enough to share this with you will be thrilled. Enjoy!

Limoncello Dressing

4 Tbsp limoncello (liqueur) 

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp honey

Juice of half a lemon

Salt and pepper

Shake up all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.

The salad can be any greens or lettuce you like. I used spinach but romaine or arugula would work. 

Sliced strawberries (or other fruit – think summertime peaches)

Walnuts – you can purchase spiced walnuts, but for this recipe I sautéed about ½ a cup with a teaspoon of butter, a sprinkle of garlic salt, and about a teaspoon of sugar for 2 or 3 minutes to melt the sugar.

Cheese is a good protein, burrata is a favorite, so is parmesan. If cheese isn’t your thing or just not available, sliced chicken or shrimp would also be nice.

This is a fun way to use what you have. The dressing will keep for several weeks in the fridge and you can have a sip of limoncello for dessert. Can’t beat that!