Versatile Herb Oil Dressing – Fresh Tastes by Bev

By Bev Laumann, Author of A Taste of The Good Life: A Cookbook for IC & OAB

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A chilled main-dish salad can be a refreshing alternative to cooked meals during hot weather, and seafood or grilled chicken are low-fat naturals to pair with the crisp greens. For IC patients though, salad dressing presents a dilemma: how can we perk up the flavor of a main-dish salad without adding a dressing that has a lot of acid? There are as many solutions to the salad dilemma as there are inventive cooks with IC. The depth of human creativity never ceases to amaze me!
One of my favorite ways to lend flavor to salad greens involves the use of some versatile herb-flavored oils. Used sparingly, infused oils can give an aromatic burst of flavor to mild lettuce, cucumbers, radicchio, carrots, and raw summer squash. Kept on hand, these fragrant oils are also great brushed over chicken or albacore as they cook on the barbecue grill. They can be lightly drizzled over hot cooked vegetables, or brushed on warm white bread, french bread, or rolls fresh from the oven (a flavorful alternative to margarine or butter).

Here is one recipe for an herb-infused oil that goes great with seafood salads. Try combining your favorite salad vegetables with cooked lobster, (or tuna), then lightly toss with a little of the oil. (The trick with using flavored oils for salads is to not use too much. Also, they are best applied to the salad just before serving).

Rosemary Herb Oil

  • 1 long sprig of fresh rosemary (about 6 inches long)
  • 1 long sprig of oregano
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  1. Make sure the herbs have been washed and are absolutely dry. Place the herbs in a bottle or other glass container that will hold a bit more than a cup of fluid. Cover the herbs completely with olive oil. Seal the container and let it sit in a cool, dark place for one week. Refrigerate and use. (It keeps for weeks if refrigerated).