Best for: The salad course at a cookout — a creamy, tangy house dressing that turns a bowl of shredded lettuce into the thing people ask about.
This dressing was the house specialty at Capri Italian Restaurant in Lodi, California, where it was served mixed into a salad of finely shredded lettuce. The owners kept the recipe to themselves for years — it only came out after the restaurant closed, after plenty of regulars had begged for it. It is a proper cookout salad dressing: creamy, sharp with red wine vinegar, and better after a long chill.
Grill: None — this is a whisk-and-chill dressing, no cooking. Equipment: Large bowl, wire whisk, lidded jar or bottle for storage.
Ingredients
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing mix
Servings: About 2 1/2 cups Prep Time: 10 minutes Chill: Several hours. Total: 10 minutes, plus chilling.
Directions
Put the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, water, sugar, dried basil, dried oregano, and the envelope of Italian dressing mix in a large bowl.
Whisk everything together until the sugar dissolves and the dressing is smooth and evenly blended.
Pour the dressing into a lidded jar or bottle and refrigerate for several hours before serving, so the herbs soften and the flavors come together.
Whisk or shake again just before serving.
Toss with finely shredded lettuce — the way Capri served it — or use it over any green salad alongside the grill.
Refrigerate leftovers and use within about a week.
Grilling tip: Make it the morning of the cookout at the latest — this is one dressing that truly needs its chill time, and it is even better the next day.
