Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Lemon Basil Maple Syrup dressing recipe



 From Daryl aka Avery


From a fan online, I discovered a cookbook dedicated to maple syrup: the MapleSyrup Cookbook.  I love maple syrup. There’s something so satisfying about the flavor. It reminds me of special mornings as a kid, usually on weekends, having pancakes or French toast. Now, I’ve never tapped a tree. I don’t have any maples around to do so. However, thanks to an MLK follower, Libby Dodd, I learned “how to tap a tree” after I googled “how to tap a tree.” A duh moment for me, right? Thanks, Libby! I found this site called TapMyTrees. The site is dedicated to helping people learn environmentally sustainable ways to make syrup. Enjoy exploring the site.

Though there are no pictures in this cookbook (boo-hoo; I’m one of those cookbook purchasers who
really, really likes photographs), the recipes are fabulous. The lemon-basil salad dressing caught my eye right away. It’s simple, easy and as Haedrich, the author of the cookbook, wrote: “Somebody could bottle this and make a fortune, that’s how good it is.” 

So true!!!  Hmmm. New career in store for me? Probably not.

In addition to maple syrup, I love spinach. Spinach is so fortified. It’s got a thicker-than-lettuce texture that really appeals to me. However, often I find dressings for spinach salads are too thin or too salty.

But I tossed the maple syrup-enriched dressing on a spinach salad for my stepson and his wife this weekend. Over dinner, she was delighted that I had found a dressing that stuck to spinach. That’s because of the syrup. The combination of flavors really work!

Enjoy!

LEMON-BASIL SALAD DRESSING
From the Maple Syrup Cookbook by Ken Haedrich

Ingredients:

1/3 cup canola oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
satl and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh basil
1/8 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (I added a lot more, like ½ teaspoon)

Directions:
Whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl or in a measuring cup.
Taste and adjust the flavor with more maple syrup, if needed. Bottle and refrigerate.



This made enough for an 8-portion salad.  Yield: about 1 cup.
Note: I grated the lemon right over the bowl so I caught all the zest.


SPINACH SALAD
(for four)

Ingredients:
2-3 cups raw spinach
½ red onion sliced thinly
½ avocado, sliced thinly

Directions:

Wash spinach. Remove the stems. Put in a salad bowl. Slice the onions and avocado. Add to the spinach. Toss with ½ cup lemon-basil salad dressing and serve.



 * * *


The first book in A Cookbook Nook Mystery series is out!!

FINAL SENTENCE
You can order the book HERE.

It's set in the fictional coastal town of Crystal Cove, California and features Jenna Hart, a former advertising exec who returns home to help her aunt open a culinary bookshop and café.

The 4th in A Cheese Shop Mystery series is out, too! 
TO BRIE OR NOT TO BRIE
You can order the book HERE. 

Next up: DAYS OF WINE AND ROQUEFORT preorder here
INHERIT THE WORD, available soon!

You can learn more about Daryl by clicking this LINK. "Like" my page on Facebook and "follow" me on TwitterAnd if you haven't done so, sign up for the mailing list so you can learn about upcoming events, releases, and contests! You can also follow and "like" Avery Aames the same way:  Facebook and Twitter














8 comments:

  1. I'm so glad you got a copy of the cookbook; I certainly like mine. The first recipe I tried from the book was also a salad dressing! Enjoy cooking your way through the book. Maple syrup rocks!!!

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    Replies
    1. It does rock! Funny we both started out with dressings! I look forward to making some more of the delicious sounding recipes listed in it.

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  2. I love maple syrup too, so will definitely try this.

    You are one busy lady Daryl/Avery!

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  3. Marc and I love that combo of maple syrup dressing and spinach salad, delicious!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's one of those combinations that once you finally try, you think, "Why haven't I had this before?"

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  4. Isn't it odd that I can't imagine basil with maple syrup? I have both, so I'll be trying this. Especially since you're so excited about it!

    ~Krista

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  5. I'm looking forward to it too - your salad looks beautiful and I have local maple syrup in the cupboard and basil growing on my deck. Thanks, Daryl!

    ReplyDelete