Mayfair but make it 2023 Dressing, THE DISH

MAYFAIR DRESSING WAS CREATED AT THE MAYFAIR HOTEL IN ST. LOUIS BY CHEF FRED BANGERTER AND INTRODUCED TO AN INTERNATIONAL CROWD AT THE 1904 WORLD’S FAIR. It has largely faded into the background over time, likely for several reasons. Similar to a Caesar, but not as widely known, Mayfair borders on gloopy, thick and texturally off-pu ing, thanks to the inclusion of blended raw celery and onion. Creamier dressings have fallen out of favor, with the acid hit of vinaigre es stealing the show.

It doesn’t have to be this way: Mayfair dressing is flavorful at its core, but the issue lies in how the pieces fit together. In this recipe, celery leaves replace stalks, and shallots – more at home in dressings than other alliums – take the place of onion. Safety and convenience have shi ed the original backbone from raw egg yolk and oil to store-bought mayonnaise; we’re shi ing it back with a simple garlic aïoli as the base. I’ve added a li le more acid here in the form of Champagne vinegar – a callback to the Champagne in the original recipe – that bumps up the tartness and thins the mixture out beautifully. If you’re concerned about the raw egg, purchase pasteurized eggs, which have been heated to kill bacteria that can cause food-borne illnesses. Bo om line? With a few shi s and substitutions, the once-maligned Mayfair dressing gets a second chance at life. Try it on its namesake salad, composed of iceberg and romaine le uce, sliced ham, Swiss cheese and croutons.

MAYFAIR DRESSING

YIELDS | ONE CUP | GARLIC AÏOLI

1 -2 cloves garlic, grated

¼ tsp kosher salt

1 large egg yolk

1 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed and strained

¼ cup grapeseed oil

¼ cup olive oil

MAYFAIR DRESSING

1¼ cups celery leaves, roughly chopped and loosely packed

¼ cup shallot, minced

2 oz tinned anchovies, rinsed, roughly chopped

1½ Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 Tbsp Champagne vinegar

1 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed and strained

¾ tsp black pepper

½ cup garlic aïoli kosher salt, to taste

/ preparation– garlic aïoli / Add garlic, salt, egg yolk and lemon juice to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to blend. With the motor on, stream in grapeseed and olive oils slowly until mixture emulsifies.

/ preparation– mayfair dressing / Add celery leaves, shallot, anchovies, mustard, vinegar and lemon juice to the same food processor bowl with the aïoli still inside. Pulse to incorporate and break down; scrape sides of bowl and turn motor in to blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste, if needed.