Whole lemon vinaigrette

Putting lemon juice in salad dressing is basic to say the least, but how often do we use the entire fruit? This recipe does just that (minus the seeds) to make a golden, zesty dressing to drizzle over greens, roasted vegetables, and even oysters.

There’s a whole spectrum of flavor within a lemon, the bitterness from the skins and sweet-tartness from the juice. This dressing brings them all together and balances them with honey and mustard. Grab your lemons and a jar. Let’s get shaking. 

Whole Lemon Vinaigrette

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 1 lemon, stem trimmed, quartered, and seeds removed
• 1 shallot, finely chopped 
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey, agave, or maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves, finely chopped (optional)
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 

Procedure:

1. In a food processor, pulse the lemon quarters until coarsely chopped. 
2. Add the shallot, mustard, honey, salt, pepper, and thyme, if using. Pulse until lemon is finely chopped, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go. 
3. Transfer the mixture to a jar with a lid. Add olive oil, cover, and vigorously shake to combine. 
4. Taste and season to your liking. Store in the jar in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

Notes and Substitutions: 

• I had a massive bag of lemons the day I made this recipe, but it should also work with other small citrus, like clementines or limes. 
• If you have castoff hulls from used lemons, you can adapt the recipe to use them. Offset the missing lemon juice with 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar. The result will be a touch thicker and not as lemony, but still tasty.