Thousand Island Dressing Isn’t Just for Salads

At the end of the gardening season, when frost threatens, I wander around looking for stragglers that might freeze. I invariably find a few young dill plants that missed their scheduled spring sprouting. That’s when I think of making Thousand Island dressing.

Not Just for Salads

The first time I had Thousand Island dressing wasn’t on a salad. It was a “secret sauce” served at the local burger hotspot. Later the same “secret sauce” turned up on a dish called Shrimp Louie I was served at a seafood restaurant.

The owner of the restaurant wandered among the tables chatting with customers. When he came to our table to inquire if we were enjoying our meal, I took the occasion to ask him what the sauce was on my shrimp.

He told me it was “Louie Sauce.” But then, with a wink, he revealed that it was “just Thousand Island dressing.”

Later, at different salad bars, I tried the dressing labeled as Thousand Island and was always disappointed. It was basically mayonnaise mixed with catsup and pickle relish. And it was too sweet. It just didn’t have the unique tang of the “secret sauces” I had previously enjoyed.

Eventually I found a recipe that pretty nearly replicated those delicious “secret sauces.” The tang, it turns out, is contributed by the inclusion of yogurt and salsa. This recipe has two variations: One with fresh dill, the other with bell pepper. Both are equally tasty.

In summer, when the pepper plants are laden with ripe fruit, I make the pepper variation. In the cool months of spring and fall, when dill grows best, I make the dill version.

I use homemade salsa and homemade yogurt. When I’m not feeling lazy, I also make the mayonnaise with eggs from my chickens. Otherwise, I admit to sometimes using store-bought mayo. This recipe makes nearly a quart but you can easily cut it in half to make about a pint.

Thousand Island Dressing

What’s in a Name?

The name of this dressing comes from a chain of islands in the St. Laurence River, ranging between New York and Canada, where the recipe supposedly originated. But who concocted the original recipe, and exactly what the original ingredients were, remain mysteries.

Today Thousand Island dressing has many different versions. These two are my favorites. Both are equally awesome on a burger. Both go great with shrimp. And, of course, both are delicious on a tossed salad of lettuce and other goodies picked fresh from the garden.