While I was in college (along with 49,999 of my closest friends at the University of Texas at Austin), I was one of the many nonvegetarian fans of Mother’s, an iconic vegetarian restaurant in Hyde Park, where I’d pretty much always get a smoothie and a huge spinach salad with this pungent dressing. Besides cashews, the main ingredient is tamari, a richer version of soy sauce that’s traditionally (but not always) made without wheat. Decades later, Mother’s is still going strong, reopening after a 2007 fire and still serving this dressing (bottling it for retail sale, even). Thanks to the glories of Google, I was able to track down a recipe for it from Rachel MacIntyre, a personal chef in Austin who blogs at thefriendlykitchen.com and used to work at Mother’s precursor, West Lynn Cafe. I lightened it a little bit, but it’s as addictive as ever. I toss it onto spinach and other salads, of course, but also baked potatoes, broiled asparagus, steamed carrots, and more, including Charred Asparagus, Tofu, and Farro Salad (page 144).
The dressing will congeal in the refrigerator, so let it come to room temperature before using, or zap it in the microwave for a few seconds to speed things up.
Recipe information
Yield
makes about 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
In a blender or food processor, combine the oil, vinegar, tamari, cashews, and water. Pulse several times until the mixture is emulsified but there are still bits of cashew throughout. Taste for flavors and adjust as needed. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several weeks.
