Creamy Italian Dressing
By America's Test KitchenPublished on November 7, 2011
Time
20 minutes
Yield
Serves 12 (Makes about 1 1/2 cups)
Ingredients
Before You Begin
This creamy vinaigrette pairs best with a crisp lettuce such as iceberg or romaine. "Blooming" refers to a technique where herbs and spices are immersed in warm liquid to draw out their flavors and prevent dried herbs from tasting old and stale.
Instructions
- BLOOM Whisk vinegar, Parmesan, shallot, garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes in small bowl. Microwave until cheese is melted (vinegar will look cloudy) and mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Let cool.
- ASSEMBLE DRESSING Process mayonnaise, sour cream, basil, and vinegar mixture in food processor until smooth. With motor running, slowly add oil until incorporated, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. (Dressing can be refrigerated in airtight container for 4 days.)
Time
20 minutesYield
Serves 12 (Makes about 1 1/2 cups)Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
For our Creamy Italian Dressing we liked mayonnaise for body and sour cream for tang, lightness, and silkiness. When it came to the herbs, oregano and red pepper flakes made the cut, as did fresh minced shallots (since fresh onions tasted harsh in the dressing), fresh garlic, and fresh basil. To prevent the dried herbs from tasting old and stale, we turned to a technique we often use in the test kitchen: “blooming" the herbs and spices in warm liquid to draw out their flavors. We combined dried oregano, pepper flakes, and vinegar and warmed the mixture in the microwave to get the rounder, fuller flavors we wanted. Melting the Parmesan in the microwave with the vinegar and herbs kept the dressing from being gritty. We also tossed in the minced shallot and garlic to mellow them.
Before You Begin
This creamy vinaigrette pairs best with a crisp lettuce such as iceberg or romaine. "Blooming" refers to a technique where herbs and spices are immersed in warm liquid to draw out their flavors and prevent dried herbs from tasting old and stale.
Instructions
- BLOOM Whisk vinegar, Parmesan, shallot, garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes in small bowl. Microwave until cheese is melted (vinegar will look cloudy) and mixture is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Let cool.
- ASSEMBLE DRESSING Process mayonnaise, sour cream, basil, and vinegar mixture in food processor until smooth. With motor running, slowly add oil until incorporated, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. (Dressing can be refrigerated in airtight container for 4 days.)
Gift This Recipe
Enjoyed this dish? Let others know by sharing it as a gift recipe.
Appears In
Key Equipment
Keep Exploring
0 Comments