Herb Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Fresh herbs (A good combination is 6 fresh basil leaves, 4 branches of parsley including stems, 2 inch stem of oregano, and a tablespoon of fresh oregano. Substitute dried herbs, if fresh aren’t available.)

3/4 cup olive oil

Put the balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and herbs in a blender. Blend until the garlic is finely chopped.

Slowly drizzle in the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies.

Note….This vinaigrette is so versatile. You can use it as a marinade for chicken, you can use it as a glaze when sautéing mushrooms, and you can use it as a salad dressing.

I marinated chicken overnight in this vinaigrette and seared it. I served it with herb goat cheese polenta and sautéed mushrooms.