The Thousand Islands sauce is made from mayonnaise and ketchup (or some other sweetened tomato sauces) with eggs and vinegar. Its classic version should have a sweet spicy taste.
At home, boiled hard-boiled egg, crushed through a fine sieve, is added to the sauce. The named ingredient is not often found in recipes these days, but previously it was a common thickener.
Such a cooking technique as a very fine rubbing of the egg can improve not only the taste, but also the texture of the dish.
Sauce History
The Thousand Islands sauce has many versions of origin. So, allegedly, it was invented in resorts in the Thousand Islands, in the northernmost areas of New York State in the USA and in southern Ontario in Canada, at the very beginning of the 20th century.
According to another version, it was first cooked in the resorts of New Hampshire at about the same time. According to both options, the sauce was conceived as an upscale meal that was served with fresh herbs and was designed for those who could afford “summer” foods at any time of the year.
Despite its origin, the Thousand Islands sauce was launched into mass production in the 70s of the last century, and today it can be found in all salad bars and fast foods. However, during industrial production, its composition began to include numerous preservatives and artificial flavors, making its taste very different from the original. If you cook it at home, you will get a classic product.
Thousand Island Sauce: Recipe
What you need:
- 1.5 cups of store or homemade mayonnaise;
- 1/2 cup ketchup;
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar;
- 1.5 tablespoons heavily chopped or grated onions;
- 1 teaspoon of salt;
- 1/2 teaspoon tea chili or freshly ground black pepper;
- 1 large hard-boiled egg, peeled;
- 1 teaspoon chopped pimento or red fried peppers (optional).
In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, onion, salt and chili pepper and mix until smooth. Rub the egg through a fine mesh sieve and combine with the rest of the ingredients. This sauce can be served immediately, but it will taste even better if it is cooled in a closed container for 12-24 hours. It can be stored for about 4 days.
In addition, there is a low-calorie version of this sauce invented by proponents of light diets. It consists of the following components:
- 1/2 cup low-fat pureed cottage cheese;
- 1.5 tablespoons of tomato ketchup;
- 1 teaspoon chili sauce;
- 1 teaspoon of sugar;
- 1/4 teaspoon of mustard;
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped onions;
- salt to taste;
- 2 tablespoons skim milk.
How to use it?
As you can see, the composition of the Thousand Islands sauce allows you to use it with most different products. Today it is used as a salad dressing, and served with steaks and burgers. Some believe that it goes well with seafood.
What salads can I season with them? According to experts, it is best suited to raw vegetables and even fruits.
Thousand Island Salad
The fruit and vegetable salad contains vitamins A and C, as well as fiber and other nutrients. For cooking you will need:
- 1 head of iceberg lettuce, torn to pieces;
- 1/4 cup peach slices;
- 1/2 cup grated carrots;
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery;
- 2 cups diced apples;
- 1/2 cup orange slices, cut into halves;
- 2 tablespoons chopped raisins;
- Thousand Islands sauce.
Combine all the salad ingredients in a deep bowl, add the sauce and mix well. You can use both classic and low-calorie refills.