This recipe makes enough dressing for a week's worth of salads for a family of 4. You will need a 1 quart jar with a tight-fitting lid. Adapted from a recipe by Lynne Rossetto Kasper .
Peel the onion and garlic cloves then mince together with the fresh basil leaves. Put in a jar and add remaining ingredients. Shake up and season as needed with salt and pepper. Store in a cool place. Each night simply shake it up and pour over a salad.
Variations:
For Thai-style dressing that is good over rice noodles, grains or vegetable salads, blend 1/2 cup dressing with 1 tbls. minced fresh chile, 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro, 1 tbls. brown sugar, 1/2 cup crushed peanuts.
For ranch dressing: blend 1/3 cup of dressing with 1/3 to 1/2 cup buttermilk.