Recipe

Switching up your Routine with Summer Sauces

Getting stuck in a cooking rut is no fun. It can be easy to make the same dishes over and over again, but simply switching it up with a new sauce or dressing brings brightness and flavor to your meal. Food is meant to be pleasurable, and eating healthy does not equal boring.

Below is my Calexico Dressing. It is hands down my favorite dressing. Add it to your summer salads, grain bowls, and more for a kick of flavor.

If you have any questions, send me a DM on Instagram at @chefcarlacontreras

Eat Well,

xo Chef Carla

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Ingredients

1 lime, juiced
½ lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt (dairy free option: ¼ ripe avocado, mashed)
1/8 teaspoon Kosher salt
3-5 cranks freshly ground pepper
This is hands down my favorite dressing! There’s a taco stand in Brooklyn called Calexico, and when I used to go there, I didn’t get the tacos. I ordered a salad. This is my version of their dressing. It’s creamy and a touch sweet from the honey. I especially love the tangy pop from the sherry vinegar. I use it as a sauce on tacos, salads and grilled fish.

Instructions

Add the lime juice, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard to a medium bowl.
Slowly drizzle olive oil into the lime juice mixture while whisking to create an emulsion*.
Whisk in the Greek yogurt (or avocado, if using) and season with salt and pepper.
Store in a mason jar with a lid or glasslock container. Dressing lasts up to five days in the fridge.

Chef Carla Notes

You can also make the dressing using a blender. Add the ingredients from step one to a blender. With the power on low, slowly and carefully add the olive oil through the hole in the blender lid. Once all the oil is added, stop the blender, add the Greek yogurt or avocado, and blend on low until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

What to Dress:

You can use this dressing on all kinds of salads, but I think it’s especially delicious on grilled steak, chicken, or shrimp-topped salads. It’s also a great match for hardy greens like baby kale.
Try pairing it with Mexican flavors. I love it drizzled over fish tacos in place of sour cream.

Pantry Items to Stock to Make Dressings and Summer Sauces:

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: My preferred olive oil flavor profile for dressings is buttery or grassy—some olive oils can have really spicy notes, which will overpower and alter the flavor of your dressing. Some brands I love are Frankies 457 Spuntino Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, Costco’s Kirkland Signature Organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, and Whole Foods 365 Extra-Virgin Olive Oil.
Sherry Vinegar: This vinegar has a serious acidic bite—and that’s a good thing! I use a splash on my salads with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper and in dressings to add an extra pop of flavor.
Salt: I love cooking with Himalayan pink sea salt. Kosher salt and sea salt also work well in these recipes. What won’t work is anything labeled plain or iodized salt.
Black Pepper: I opt for freshly ground all the way. Invest in a pepper grinder and buy quality whole black peppercorns from brands like Simply Organic or Whole Foods 365. Trader Joe’s also sells black peppercorns with a built-in grinder.