Growing up, one of my favourite things about going to a salad bar was always the Mayfair dressing. It was this magical blend of flavors that could make even the most mundane salad exciting. It’s a classic dressing that’s been around since the 1920s, originally served in the Mayfair hotel in St. Louis. And today, I’m sharing with you my take on the Original Mayfair Dressing, a recipe that I have perfected over the years. This dressing is a beautiful blend of flavors, with the richness of anchovies, the tanginess of mustard and lemon juice, and the freshness of celery and onions. It’s not just a salad dressing, it’s a flavor enhancer that can elevate any dish it touches. The secret to a perfect Mayfair dressing is in the blending. The ingredients need to be blended to a liquid consistency, creating a smooth, creamy dressing that’s just divine. And remember, patience is key. The oil needs to be added slowly, with constant blending, to create the perfect emulsion. I love this recipe because it brings back fond memories, and because it’s incredibly easy to make. With just a few ingredients and a blender, you can create a dressing that’s far superior to anything you can buy at the store. So, let’s get started and make some delicious Mayfair dressing!
Ingredients
- 1 (2 oz.) can anchovies
- 1 Tbsp. black pepper
- 1 Tbsp. Accent
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 medium onion
- 1/4 c. mustard
- 1 1/2 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 3 eggs
- 2 c. Mazola oil
Blending Process
- Blend together first 8 ingredients in electric blender until liquid consistency.
- (It is very important to use either a blender or a food processor in order to achieve a smooth, creamy dressing.)
- Then add eggs, one at a time.
- Beat well after each addition.
- Add Mazola oil, a small amount at a time, blending after each addition.
- Makes 1 quart.
Calorie: 200
Total cooking time: 20 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy
The Great Anchovy Experiment
In a moment of what can only be described as culinary curiosity, I found myself standing in my kitchen, staring at a can of anchovies. Not just any old can of anchovies, but a 2 oz. can which seemed to hold a great deal of promise and, arguably, a fair bit of fear. But hey, let’s keep things exciting, right? And what’s more exciting than tiny, oily fish in a can?
The Unlikely Ensemble
Joining the anchovies on my counter was a motley crew of ingredients. We had a couple of sturdy stalks of celery, a medium-sized onion that was doing its best to make me cry, a 1/4 cup of mustard (the loud yellow kind that isn’t shy about its tanginess), and 1 1/2 cloves of garlic. I say 1 1/2 because one clove was looking a bit more plump than its sibling. In the spirit of balance, I sprinkled in a tablespoon of black pepper and a tablespoon of Accent. I’m not entirely sure what Accent is, but it’s got a fancy name, so it must be good. To top it off, a teaspoon of lemon juice and 3 eggs were added. The final player was 2 cups of Mazola oil, because when you’ve got a can of anchovies and a whole bunch of random ingredients, you might as well soak it all in oil, right?
Blender Blunders
Now, onto the blending. And let me tell you, if you’ve never blended a can of anchovies alongside half a garlic bulb and a rogue onion, it’s an experience. A pungent, eye-watering experience. But that’s what the recipe called for, so I bravely soldiered on. The blender whirred and whizzed until the mixture reached a somewhat liquid consistency. It looked a bit like abstract art, if abstract art smelled like a fish market.
Eggcellent Adventures
Next came the eggs. These were to be added one at a time and beaten well after each addition. Now, I’m not sure who decided that eggs needed to be added one at a time, but I have a suspicion they’re the same people who insist on telling you the end of a movie before you’ve seen it. Nevertheless, each egg was added with due ceremony and beaten into the fishy oblivion.
Oil Be Seeing You
Finally, the oil. Mazola oil, to be precise. This was to be added a small amount at a time and blended after each addition. I’ll admit, by this point my arm was starting to ache from all the blending, but I was committed. The oil was dutifully drizzled in, the blender gave a final, weary whirr, and voila! I had a quart of the most original, and possibly most peculiar, Mayfair dressing I’d ever seen.
Afterthoughts on Anchovies
So, there you have it. A dressing that combines the richness of anchovies, the punch of black pepper, the mystery of Accent, the crunch of celery, the bite of onion, the tang of mustard, the aroma of garlic, the zing of lemon juice, the smoothness of eggs, and the lubrication of oil. It’s not every day you find yourself on such a gastronomic journey, but hey, you’ve got to keep things interesting. And if blending a can of anchovies with a whole bunch of other stuff isn’t interesting, I don’t know what is.
