Green Goddess Dressing

Don't you just love the name?

Green Goddess dressing was invented in the kitchen of a San Francisco hotel in the 1920s.  It's a creamy dressing with a base of mayo and sour cream, traditionally flavored with tarragon and a hint of anchovy.

The camera didn't pick it up very well, but it's definitely green.  The color comes from a variety of pulverized herbs. 

Be honest, have you been getting a little tired of salads lately?  I have.  I've been on a salad bender since April, so it's only natural to get a little bored.  For me, making a really great dressing fixes the problem and get's me excited about lettuce again.

Sometimes I crave a fruity olive oil and vinegar based dressing.  Other times it might be a spicy miso ginger and soy concoction.  But right now I'm feeling the cool, slinky, creaminess of Green Goddess.

I'm really into masses of mixed herbs these days.  Our farmer's market sells big bunches of them really cheaply  They keep much longer than the supermarket herbs so I've been enjoying the luxury of fresh herbs in everything...scrambled eggs, pasta, risottos, and now this dressing. My version has the addition of lime and a touch of hot chile, with a few extra herbs thrown into the mix.

Green Goddess Dressing 

• In the bowl of a food processor or blender, put:

1/2 cup parsley leaves
1/2 cup fresh tarragon
1/2 cup chives
1/2 cup dill
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 Serrano or jalapeno pepper, rough chopped, seeds and all

• Pulse about 10 times to break down the herbs, and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Pulse another 10 times and scrape again.  Run the processor to completely pulverize the greens, scraping down as necessary.  Make sure you have processed the herbs enough so that there are no larger pieces left.  The herbs will release a lot of flavor and some of their juices as they break down, which will give the dressing its characteristic color.
• Blend in:

1 cup mayonnaise

• Process for about a minute.  Then add in:
  

1 cup sour cream
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 Tbsp white wine vingear
1-2 tsp anchovy paste (optional, but part of the distinctive flavor of the original)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp freshly cracked pepper

• Process until smooth and creamy.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.  Store in the refrigerator in an airtight jar.  It will last about a week.

Notes:  There are many variations of this recipe out there. Mine is heavy on the green herbs.  I wanted the flavor and color to be strong. 
This recipe makes a good amount of dressing, I'm going to use the leftover for chicken or egg salad.