orange vanilla bean dressing

Yes, that's right. I greet you today with nothing more than a paltry dressing recipe.  I didn't even come up with the idea to mix those flavors myself.  This was reverse-engineered from a salad from a local brewpub.  The original was so good, my salad-scoffng husband devoured more than his half (when we go out, we like to find two things we both want to try on the menu and then swap plates halfway, so we get to try twice as many things; I never stop appreciating the fact that I married someone with a similar palate to mine).  I think he may have actually licked the plate if we weren't in public.

The brewery serves it with apples, pistachios, cranberries, and cheddar over a pile of mesclun greens.  I had none of those things on hand, except some greens, so we went for a simpler version: just pecans and feta.  Again, my husband went back for seconds.  If that's not a ringing endorsement, you obviously don't know that he has a personal policy of only eating vegetables when they are completely smothered in cheese.

In the interest of full disclosure, I actually used part refrigerated orange juice, and bottled lime juice. A local citrus thief robbed me of my lime and half my orange when I turned around to get my camera, and he staunchly refused my every attempt to negotiate them back.  As it turns out, I am not a very good fruit hostage negotiator.

Going back to the add-ins, I'd actually recommend Marcona almonds over the pecans.  Also, I think maybe a tablespoon or so of some apple cider vinegar would have been a nice addition to the dressing.

Orange Vanilla Bean dressing (makes just under 1 cup)

Juice of one orange (~1/2 c.)
Juice of half a lime (1-2 tbsp.)
1/4 cup canola oil, or any other neutral-tasting oil
1/2 vanilla bean pod
agave nectar to taste (you could probably sub honey or sugar)
salt & pepper to taste

Blend juices and oil in a mini food processor until fully emulsified.  Scrape out vanilla seeds, reserving the outer pods, and add the beans to the processor along with the agave, salt & pepper.  Give it a few more whirls, just until it's mixed. Transfer it to a storage container or jar, place pods in with the dressing, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.