This dressing is sweet, tangy, aromatic, and nutty all in one. Roasted, caramelized garlic brings a deep flavor that pairs so well with the other ingredients. This particular balsamic is blackberry ginger flavored and that also brings additional richness to the dressing.
Choosing the vinegar
For this recipe, I'm using a specific type of Blackberry Ginger Balsamic that is different from the average. You'll want to choose a SWEET AND SYRUPY balsamic. If you can venture to a shop that specializes in selling these types of vinegar I would highly recommend it. They're usually the types of specialty stores that sell oil & vinegar together in a tasting room. If you're in the Atlanta area, you can check out Splash of Olive (located inside Kelly's Market) it's actually where I purchased the vinegar you see in the photos.
Roasting Garlic
Roasting garlic is a great technique to add robust, slightly nuttier flavor to anything that calls for garlic. You'll need to turn the oven to a high temperature and wrap the bulb in foil to achieve this effect. To roast garlic, simply cut off the very top layer of an entire bulb of garlic. Each clove should be exposed. Transfer the bulb to a piece of foil then pour a thin coating of oil over the top before tightly wrapping the foil around the garlic. This will need to bake in the oven at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. I usually put the wrapped garlic into a small ramekin just in case any oil seeps through.
Once finished, each clove should be fork tender and easy to remove. Once cooled slightly, I usually stick a fork through each clove and twist it a little to get it out. you could also squeeze the bottom of the bulb gently, and peel back the skin to remove them this way as well.
Making the dressing
As with a lot of dressings, this one is extremely simple to throw together. Gather everything you need first, then emulsify all of the ingredients with some sort of blender. I used an emulsion blender which worked out really well. Note-this dressing is a bit thin just after blending. The consistency won't matter so much because it will be tossed among the greens but it will thicken slightly when you let it stand.
Enjoy this Roasted Garlic, Orange, & Balsamic Dressing
Roasted Garlic, Orange, & Balsamic Dressing
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Description
This Roasted Garlic, Orange & Balsamic Dressing is sweet, tangy, aromatic, and nutty; each element pairs so well with the other ingredients.
Ingredients
⅓ cup Balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup Mandarin oranges, drained
⅓ cup olive oil
5 roasted garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender of choice. Blend until completely smooth. Add salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Salad Dressing
- Method: Roasted
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Calories: 77
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 238.3 mg
- Fat: 7.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.8 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
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