White Bean and Grape Salad with Garlic Parmesan Dressing

So I had a salad one time when I was passing through San Francisco International Airport that I had picked up at the Napa Farms place there. It was fantastic! I like that it is very different than the salads I have had. I love that it has grapes and beans. It has such different flavors going on and I love it!

I have tried to re-create it a couple of times and this was pretty close (as far as I can remember).

So the salad itself is easy. Get some:

  

Lettuce (red leaf pictured here)

White Beans (pictured is canned Great Northern, but whatever white bean you like)

Red grapes, cut in half

Sun Dried Tomatoes (pictured here are Trader Joe's, I prefer those that come dry, not packed in oil, but they will work just fine, just make sure to add less dressing)

Parmigiano Reggiano (the real stuff is pictured or you can fake it)

 

Now, the first time I bought dressing. Some Newman's Own Garlic Parmesan something or other. Good. but this is Better! I hodge podged a couple of recipes and I made it according to my taste. It came out like this:

3/4 c. Olive Oil

6 or so garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbl dried Basil

1 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

4 - 6 splashes of red wine vinegar

1 Tbl Lemon juice

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 heaping TBL of parm (green can kind)

oh and a sprinkling of sugar

and a squirt of spicy brown mustard (not much for me)

So to keep from having to wait hours for the herbs to get their flavor into the oil. Heat it up! Put the oil on your stove over medium and add the garlic. Let it warm and don't let it get too hot. Add the basil and oregano and salt and peppa. Turn off heat and the rest of the ingredients. Make sure to shake well before using.