Coral Reef Salad Dressing

The Coral Reef's salad dressing was a closely guarded secret for many years. One clue was revealed in 1996 when Lee Bishop, the dressing's creator and the Coral Reef's day-crew supervisor, said that in the 1960s, General Foods wanted to buy the recipe, but he said it was not for sale. Bishop died in 2004 at age 94.

Many versions of the recipe have surfaced over the decades. This one, from Marilyn (Wong) Champa of Sacramento, was given to her by her father, Louis Wong. He managed the Coral Reef for more than 30 years. When the restaurant was sold, Bishop gave Wong the recipe. Champa was a hostess at the Coral Reef in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Prep time: 45 minutes

Makes 2 quarts

INGREDIENTS

1 quart Wesson vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups tarragon vinegar

3/4 cup Heinz apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons celery powder or ground celery seed

1 1/2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika

1/4 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped

1/2 cup white onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons horseradish mustard

5 ounces domestic blue cheese, crumbled

5 ounces imported Danish blue cheese, crumbled (if not available, use Gorgonzola)

Salad:

Lettuce, radish slices, carrot curls

Fresh bay shrimp

INSTRUCTIONS

Place the oil, tarragon vinegar and cider vinegar in 3 separate containers, and place each container in a bowl of hot water before use.

In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, salt, celery powder (or ground celery seed) and paprika. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, place garlic and half of the oil and mix for 5 minutes using the mixer on medium speed.

Add onion, Worcestershire sauce, mustard and tarragon vinegar, and mix for 10 minutes. Add sugar mixture. Add apple cider vinegar and continue to mix. Add both crumbled blue cheeses and mix for 10 minutes. Slowly add remaining oil while mixing.

Make a salad of broken lettuce, radish slices and carrot curls. Place bay shrimp on top and make very moist with dressing.