Romaine Salad with Red Wine Vinegar

The glass jar you see here is my newest experiment. I've been making my own red wine vinegar. It's actually pretty simple. Buy a vinegar starter aka "mother" (check out homebrew suppliers online) and add it to a bottle of red wine and some water. Periodically, add leftover red wine to keep things going. I'll let you do your own online research for the specifics. It's worth the adventure...start now and you'll have great holiday gifts.

But this post is about enjoying the spoils of my culinary victory. The final product is clear and crisp with a flavor that can only be described as zingy. It's delicious on this simple salad.

Romaine Salad
Makes 4 servings.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
Salt and pepper
1 large heart of romaine, chopped (or use another crisp lettuce like butter or even iceberg)
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1 large tomato, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, whisk the oil and vinegar with the oregano and season to taste. Add the lettuce and toss well. Add remaining ingredients and serve.