I was about 15 when Mom introduced rosemary into her homemade soup. Although the cupboard was home to an army of little tinned spice cans, I’d never known her to use anything other than cinnamon in apple pie and sage in stuffing. My culinary life changed with that soup. Since Dad was a strictly meat and potatoes guy there was no need to get too fancy with any food, but on this particular day she must have decided the soup needed a little help. Ever since, I’ve been a fan of spices and herbs, growing and drying and always trying new ones. I never saw her buy any spices, so chances are good that anything in that cupboard had been there long past its useful life. But still, that rosemary…
This is a strong flavored dressing. It will go well on lots of things besides green salads. Try it with American fries, or on top of fresh slices of juicy, perfectly ripe tomatoes. It’s especially good on a chef or niçoise salad, with additions that can stand up to the fresh herbs and anchovies, like hard-boiled eggs, cheese, olives or crunchy croutons. Even if you think you’re not a fan of anchovies you should try making it with them for the briny touch they add. If you’re not lucky enough to have fresh herbs growing right outside your kitchen door, check out your local farmers markets. In smaller markets fresh herbs are not in great demand but many growers have them in their gardens and will be happy to bring some for you.
– Joan, 16 August 2019
Green Goddess dressing
- 3/4 cup fresh tarragon, loosely packed
- 3/4 cup fresh chives, loosely packed
- 3/4 cup fresh flat parsley, loosely packed
- 6 anchovy fillets, or 2-3 tablespoons anchovy paste
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, with zest from 1 lemon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise with olive oil, sour cream, or full-fat plain yogurt
- black pepper to taste
Place the herbs, anchovies or anchovy paste, lemon juice, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides to get all the herbs. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the machine is running, then add the mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, and pepper, processing till smooth.
Store refrigerated in a glass jar for up to one week.
