Sometimes I just get in the mood for something from my childhood, and when it comes to salads, this does it. This is based on a taste memory of the Thousand Island dressing from the now defunct Marshall Field’s Department store in Chicago. This dressing is great on turkey sandwiches or salads with lots of chunky veggies in it.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup pickle relish
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 rib of celery, washed and minced
½ tablespoon brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

 

Method:

Put all ingredients except salt and pepper into a non-reactive bowl and whisk to thoroughly amalgamate ingredients.

Grind fresh pepper over the surface and whisk in.

Taste the dressing, then begin to salt. The salt will help pull the flavors into balance, and you will be able to taste the difference between no salt and when you are getting close to perfection. Add just enough so you notice the change in the dressing, but not so much that you taste the salt. Be careful the first time you make the dressing and add salt in very small amounts. Once you do this recipe, you will know what you are tasting for and it will go together in a snap.

 

Chef’s Notes:

Depending on your ingredients, you may need to balance them by adding a little bit more of one thing or another. I find the key elements to tweak are the Worcestershire, ketchup, and relish. And most importantly, the salt.

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