The recipe for Green Goddess dressing has a storied past, originating as a sauce for eel on the plate of Louis XIII. In 1923, the creamy rich condiment made its United States debut at the San Francisco Palace Hotel as a salad dressing in honor of British actor George Arliss, who was appearing in the play, “Green Goddess.”
Today, this almost one hundred-year-old formula, finger-licking-good dressing is still widely enjoyed with hundreds of recipe variations. This “formula” for Greek Goddess dressing is my favorite kind (and soon shall be your) kind of recipe because it is QIT!
Quick and easy to prepare
Ingredients are on hand
Tastes delicious and different very time
The flavor base of this piquant sauce are two ingredients almost always in my refrigerator: a good quality mayonnaise and a Greek or full-fat yogurt. Pantry items include garlic, lemon juice and anchovies. A light vinegar like champagne or white wine can also provide the acidity, and for a vegetarian version, substitute the salty flavor of capers for the anchovies.
While a quick trip to the garden produces fresh herbs, the variety is dependent upon the season. Parsley and basil, rosemary, dill, cilantro, mint, tarragon, thyme, oregano, chervil, chives and green onions, and sage are all tasty additions and create a vibrant, bright green sauce.
The food processor or blender whips up this dressing quite quickly. The final step in this ten -minute process is the most important, and produces the best variations. TASTE !
The key to the flavor is finding the balance between the richness of the mayonnaise and yogurt, the springy green of fresh herbs, the acidity and the salt. Taste, adjust your seasonings, and taste again.
Instead of a sauce for eels, we enjoy Green Goddess dressing as accompaniment to grilled fish, particularly halibut. A jar of Green Goddess in the refrigerator is like a meal waiting to happen: Toss the green goodness with pasta, or gnocchi, and add chopped asparagus and other veggies. Use it as a marinade for chicken, rabbit, or shrimp. Addictive as a dip with fresh crudité, Green Goddess Dressing is also a tasty spread in a pocket sandwich, or on a spinach salad.
GREEN GODDESS DRESSING
Ingredients
- ½ cup good quality mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove finely chopped
- 2 oil-packed anchovy filets
- ½ cup parsley leaves
- ½ cup basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon or dill weed
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives or green onions
- Sea salt and fresh pepper to taste
Instructions
- In the bowl of your food processor or blender, combine the mayonnaise, basil leaves, lemon juice, chopped garlic, anchovies, and parsley leaves. Process until smooth and uniformly green. Scrape into a bowl.
- Finely chop the remaining fresh herbs.
- Stir the herbs into the mixture. Season to taste with sea salt and fresh pepper.
- Serve as a dip for crudité, a dressing for salad
- or a sauce for pasta
