Blue Cheese Vinaigrette

This weekend we hit up Nepenthe in Big Sur. When ordering our entrees, the waitress asked if we wanted blue cheese dressing on our salad as if that were the normal thing to order there, so we just went with it. I am not usually a fan of Ranch dressing on salads; I prefer dressing of that consistency to be used as a dip. To our surprise, when the salads came out, it was their "house" blue cheese vinaigrette. Now I see why she assumed we would want it. It was delicious! I didn't ask them for their recipe, but I came across this version online that is claimed to be close. I tasted it last night and it is almost on the spot. Enjoy!




















Ingredients:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 t Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, pressed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 T fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

A simple salad of red leaf lettuce and tomatoes. We also added sliced cucumber.

Directions:
Blend all ingredients together except for the blue cheese. When ready to serve, add cheese and whisk. Toss with salad greens.

This recipe will make about 3/4 cup.