Russian Dressing

August 19, 2016

Russian Dressing - kvalifood.com

Despite the name, Russian dressing is an American creation from the early 1900s, attributed to grocer James E. Colburn in New Hampshire. It is mayonnaise-based with ketchup for color, horseradish for sharpness, and minced pickles for tang. Often confused with Thousand Island, but Russian dressing is distinguished by the horseradish and usually lacks the hard-boiled egg found in older Thousand Island recipes. It is the classic dressing for a Reuben sandwich.

Ingredients

Makes ca. 350 ml

240 ml mayonnaise
80 ml ketchup
1 tbsp prepared horseradish (refrigerated, not cream-style)
20 g finely grated yellow onion (~2 tbsp)
2 tbsp finely minced cornichons (or dill pickles)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
hot sauce, a few dashes (optional)
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste

Directions

Whisk the mayonnaise and ketchup together in a bowl until smooth and evenly colored.

Add the horseradish, grated onion, minced cornichons, Worcestershire sauce, smoked paprika, and hot sauce if using. Stir until well combined.

Taste and adjust: more horseradish for sharpness, more ketchup for sweetness, a squeeze of lemon or splash of vinegar if it needs brightness.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Overnight rest gives the best flavor.

Notes

Chili sauce (like Heinz chili sauce) is less sweet and slightly more complex than ketchup. Either works. If using chili sauce, start with 60 ml (1/4 cup) and adjust.
Use refrigerated prepared horseradish (grated root in vinegar), not horseradish cream sauce. This ingredient is what most distinguishes Russian dressing from Thousand Island.
Grating the onion on a box grater or microplane gives the best texture - onion flavor without chunks. Drain briefly if the onion is very watery.
Cornichons give a sharper, more vinegary bite. Sweet pickle relish makes it slightly sweeter. Both are traditional.
Keeps refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 1 week.