Cooking with Books: Red Wine and Feta Vinaigrette

Michael Psilakis' How to Roast a Lamb was in the stack for Cooking with Books month in March, but I didn't get to it. However, now that I'm stocking up on so many veggies from the farmer's market, one of the recipes has come to the rescue.

The other night, my dinner consisted of tomato wedges, thick cucumber slices, and thin slivers of red onion topped with this delicious vinaigrette. With an extra crumble of feta cheese for good measure.

I'm already thinking how else I could use it. Certainly on a traditional Greek salad. But also maybe as a marinade for a chicken breast before grilling it. Or even a dipping sauce for crisp veggies.

Red Wine and Feta Vinaigrette
Makes 1 1/4 cups.

1 small onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for onion
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
6 fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 cloves garlic, smashed
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dried Greek oregano

Preheat a grill pan. Brush onion slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place onions on grill pan and cook, turning, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl; drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Toss to combine.

Transfer onion to the bowl of a food processor along with vinegar, basil, thyme, feta, mustard, garlic, shallots, oregano, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper; pulse to combine.


With the processor running, slowly drizzle in 3/4 cup olive oil until dressing is smooth; season with salt and pepper.