Tarragon Vinegar & Lemon Infused Olive Oil with a Tangy Garlic Parmesan Dressing Recipe

When we were in Mississippi last spring, my friend Erin made a lovely homemade salad dressing and when I asked her about it she said there was tarragon vinegar and lemon-infused olive oil in it. I noticed tarragon vinegar at shops when we were traveling around the Southern US and I just assumed it would be just as easy to find back home in Canada as well. Every time I went to a new grocery store back home, I kept a look out for it, but had no luck.

Finally I decided to just learn how to make my own flavoured vinegars and oils…and I couldn’t believe how easy it was! This would make a great birthday, Mother’s Day or hostess gift. I bottled mine up in this cruet set from Crate & Barrel. The recipes below make enough to fill two of these sets – one to keep and one to give away. The Tangy Garlic Parmesan Dressing recipe has become our go-to salad dressing. I think we’ve had salads just about every day since I made it two weeks ago, because it’s just that good.

Tarragon Vinegar

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups white wine vinegar
• 1 cup tarragon leaves, washed and dried

Wash tarragon, remove excess moisture in a salad spinner and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel. Place in a sterilized jar. Using a wooden spoon, gently bruise the tarragon to release the maximum flavor.

Add the white wine vinegar on top of the tarragon leaves.

Cover and store in a cool dark place for 2-3 weeks to let flavors develop. Give it a light shake about once a week.

When it’s done, strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a large measuring cup. Discard tarragon.

Pour into a sterilized decorative bottle. Add an extra sprig of tarragon for decoration if desired.

 

Store in the refrigerator up to one month

Note: From my research I found that some sources recommended storing it in a cool dark place for up to six months, while others said to refrigerate it for up to a month. I’ve been keeping mine in the fridge and erring on the side of caution.

 

Lemon Infused Olive Oil

What you’ll need:

• 2 organic lemons, thoroughly washed and dried
• 2 cups good quality olive oil

Thoroughly wash and dry the lemons. Grab a vegetable peeler and remove the outer layer of skin from the lemons, avoiding the white pith where possible.

Lay the peels on a place in the open where they can dry.

After 3-4 days, check on the peels. They should be colourful and fragrant but completely dry.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine olive oil and dried lemon peel. It doesn’t need to cook, just to warm the oil. Let simmer for approximately 20 minutes. Remove from stove and allow to cool.

When it’s cool, strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a large measuring cup. Discard the oil. Pour oil into a sterile decorative bottle.

Store for up to one month in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before using.

 

Tangy Garlic Parmesan Dressing

What you’ll need:

• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup lemon olive oil
• 1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
• 2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper

You can whisk together the ingredients in a bowl, but my favourite way to do it is in my mini blender cup or a small food processor. Not only does it save you the time of mincing the garlic and grating the cheese, but it also makes the oil and vinegar completely emulsified. I just toss all the ingredients in and give it a few pulses and the dressing is done. Store the dressing in a glass container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Drizzle over salad and enjoy!