oktoberfest

As I sit here tonight, planning my upcoming Cat Party (more details to come), I'm thinking back to an Oktoberfest meal I made a couple weeks ago. Mmm. It was complete with pretzels, salad, spaetzle with a delicious mushroom gravy, a German apple cake, and seasonal beer. In fact, I think the lack of photos of the finished product is a testament to how long the food lasted. And, my rooftop view wasn't so bad either.

Despite the deliciousness of each course (c'mon, who can go wrong with one of Deb's recipes?), the simplicity and balance of the dressing was impressive in its own right. Hailing from the October issue of Martha Stewart Living, it can be prepared quickly, stores well in a little glass jar, and is so so tasty.

ROMAINE SALAD WITH ANCHOVY DRESSING
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar (I was out, and used apple cider vinegar with a splash of red wine)
2 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 large head romaine lettuce, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick shreds
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1/ Heat oil in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook shallot and garlic until just turning translucent, about 2 minutes.
2/ Toss lettuce with dressing just before serving.

Easy.