Everything bagel and anchovy vinaigrette
I have a client I prepare in flight meals for when they fly private. Its usually breakfast or brunch on the menu, and I like to give options.
One recent trip, I wanted to provide a salad, and I wanted it to be a breakfast salad. Recipe searches came up flat, and I couldn’t help but wonder…in western cuisine, why weren’t their more savory breakfast salads? It has all the trappings of a perfect breakfast, healthy fat from the dressing, the ability to endlessly customize protein options, and obviously the benefits of starting your day with something green, which given the ubiquity of the green smoothie is clearly more popular than ever. This salad was my answer.
The dressing is itself a take on bagels and lox, the anchovy lends an intense almost oceanic salinity, and the the everything bagel seasoning (made popular by trader joes ‘everything but the bagel’ seasoning, but now available in most grocery stores) tastes like just that, a bagel. I serve this in a chunky salad, compiled of all the trappings of a good bagel and lox sandwich, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, shallots (though you could use the classic red onion), however the vinaigrette is extremely versatile, its great in place of a ceasar dressing, or on a grilled chicken sandwich with arugula and roasted red peppers, or drizzled on top of avocado toast.
It involves a method used to make chili crisp and salsa matcha which allows the seeds and seasonings in the mix to toast and release their flavor (like they would on a bagel) without burning.
This recipe is for a large batch, being that there is no egg used to emulsify it, it will keep in the fridge safely but is best used within about a week or so.
I hope you give it a try! It really is everything but the bagel :)
Everything bagel and anchovy vinaigrette
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of anchovy paste
1/4 cup everything bagel seasoning
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons of dijon mustard
black pepper taste
If you have a food processor/immersion blender (preferred method as it crushes some of the seeds which i love, however it is not necessary):
Heat a small pan over medium high heat add the oil and anchovy paste. Break up the anchovy paste and let it fry in the oil for two minutes. It will darken ever so slightly in color.
In the bowl of the food processor (or a jar with high sides if using a handheld immersion blender) add the mustard, lemon juice, everything bagel seasoning, and a few cranks of black pepper. Pulse to combine.
Once the anchovies are slightly fragrant, transfer the hot oil, carefully back to your measuring cup (or anything that aids in the pouring) and with the food processor or blender running on low slowly drizzle in the hot anchovy oil to the seed/mustard/lemon mixture. It will spit a bit at the beginning. Once all the oil is combined, stop blending and transfer to a jar or container (unless dressing was already prepared in said jar or container) if using for a salad chill before use.
If you do NOT have a food processor or blender:
Heat a small pan over medium high heat add the oil and anchovy paste. Break up the anchovy paste and let it fry in the oil for two minutes. It will darken ever so slightly in color.
In a jar with high sides add the mustard, lemon juice, everything bagel seasoning, and a few cranks of black pepper. Mix well to combine.
Once the anchovies are slightly fragrant, transfer the hot oil, carefully back to your measuring cup (or anything that aids in the pouring), drizzling slowly while whisking with a fork or whisk add the hot anchovy oil. It will spit a bit at the beginning. Once all the oil is combined, stop whisking and transfer to the fridge to chill if using for a salad. If using for another application no need to chill.
*if you’re looking for vegan swaps, a tablespoon of chopped capers added to the oil instead of anchovies, and a teaspoon of soy sauce or added to the initial seed mixture is a great swap