Ingredients
- Zest of ½ orange and 3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp raw honey
- 5–10 drops of herbal digestive bitters (such as a gentian or dandelion tincture), optional
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley or chervil
- A pinch of sea salt and black pepper
Method
- Shake: put all the ingredients in a jar and shake well.
- Taste: taste and adjust: it should be fresh, a little sweet and pleasantly bitter.
- Use it: pour over bitter leaves such as rocket, radicchio, chicory and dandelion, and eat as a starter to wake up the digestion. Keeps for 5 days in the fridge.
Why it's good for you: Bitter tastes on the tongue set off a reflex that encourages saliva, stomach acid, bile and digestive enzymes, which is why many cultures begin a meal with something bitter. Herbal bitters have been used for centuries to support digestion. (Read more in Bitter Is Better.)
Good to know: Herbal bitters aren't suitable in pregnancy or for people with stomach ulcers, gallstones or bile duct problems unless advised by a practitioner. The dressing is still delicious without them. Most herbal tinctures are made with alcohol; alcohol-free glycerine bitters are also available.
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