Green Goddess Dressing

Early summer finds me in full-tilt salad mode. And vegetable greedy. While my own garden lags a bit behind in production, I find myself hitting the farmers’ markets 2 or 3 times a week, dashing from stall to stall, looking for carrots, eggplants, blueberries, peaches, and the elusive ripe tomato. Saturdays are not for sleeping in — no, no — not when the opening bell rings at 8:00am sharp.

In the meantime, I’m collecting a handful of a dressing recipes in preparation for August’s vegetable bounty. No bottled dressings this summer. My go-to lemon juice-honey-olive oil-and-salt concoction can’t be beat for simplicity, speed and flavor. But for extra oomph, there’s the green goddess dressing.

A throw-back from the hippie dippie 70′s, this very green, extraordinarily flavorful dressing is practically a food group unto itself. And the variations are endless.

Three things about this version won me over: 1) it’s mayo-less, 2) it calls for herbs I already have in my garden, and 3) it contains avocado as a replacement for the mayo and sour cream.

If the Summer of 2011 were to have a theme flavor, I would pick avocado. I don’t think a day has gone by when there hasn’t been an avocado ripening on my kitchen counter. I’m addicted.

Not only is this dressing delicious on a traditional green (ahem) salad, but it added an amazing depth of flavor to the multigrain farro and wild rice salad I had made, mixing in a heaping spoonful of dressing on a whim.

Oh! And it’s great for dipping crusty bread that mysteriously tore itself into chunks and was devoured long before it was to have hit the dinner table. But I know nothing about that. Nothing. at. all.

Green Goddess Dressing

adapted from tastespotting.com

1-2 garlic cloves, minced (I used garlic scapes, which you can see peeking down from above in the top photo)
1/2 ripe medium avocado
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 small shallot, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (vegetarian: substitute 1 teaspoon chopped capers)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 cup olive oil
about 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped basil (about 6 leaves)
salt and pepper to taste

Add the garlic, avocado, vinegar, shallots, anchovies (or capers), lemon juice and honey to a food processor and pulse until fairly smooth (but short of a smoothie-smooth).

With the food processor running, drizzle oil through feed tube. Add herbs and process until combined. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Start with a few grinds of the peppermill and a 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and work your way up from there.

Cover and chill for several hours (dressing could separate if not chilled).