I’m not sure if it’s common knowledge or not but a dressing is essentially a marinade so any dressing you normally use on a salad can usually be used as a marinade. I think back to the 1980’s (loved that decade!) and I remember countless moms using Italian dressing to marinade their chicken, I was always ready to absorb all culinary knowledge even as a kid, the whole dressing as a marinade concept blew my mind.

This dressing was first made for my Winter Quinoa & Bulgar salad with Maple Dijon Dressing but it’s also great as a marinade for chicken or salmon or just as a basic salad dressing to keep on hand. It will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks and you can add a bit of mayonnaise to it to make a creamier version. Use a high quality maple syrup since it’s a feature in this recipe.

Maple Dijon Dressing

70g Real Maple Syrup

50g Apple Cider Vinegar

20g Dijon Mustard

1 Tsp Kosher Salt

1/2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper

3 Tsp Dried Tarragon

1 Tbsp Chopped flat leaf parsley

1 large clove garlic

180g Olive Oil

I like to build my dressings in a smoothie blender but a handheld or regular blender will work just as well. Simply add all ingredients to the blender and blend on high until it’s emulsified. You can keep this in the fridge for up to two weeks and just re-blend if it separates.