Mayfair Salad Dressing

The Mayfair Hotel opened in St. Louis, Missouri in 1925. For many years, it was a luxurious hotel whose guests included U.S. presidents and famous actors. The chef for the hotel’s restaurant created this salad dressing. It is light and creamy. We find that serving the dressing over Romaine lettuce with a moderate amount of thinly sliced onion is the best way to showcase its delicate flavor.  

 

1/4 cup coarsely chopped onion

1 cup coarsely chopped celery

2 large garlic cloves

2 ounces canned anchovies

1 T coarse black pepper

1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 T Dijon mustard

1-1/2 cups mayonnaise

 

Rinse the anchovies in hot water. Lay them flat on paper towels and use additional paper towels to press the water out of them. 

 

Place all ingredients except the mayonnaise in a blender or food processor; puree. Add 1/3 of the mayonnaise called for and process. Whisk in the remaining mayonnaise by hand. 

 

- If you have an aversion to anchovies, don’t hesitate to try this recipe. You will probably not know that it has anchovies in it by the flavor.