Original Green Goddess Dressing

  Posted on March 1, 2010  by Leslie Blythe  2 comments

The Gift of a Goddess

I thought that it would be particularly fitting to start off March with something green.  Green Goddess is a salad dressing that is named for its green tint. They say it originated at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco in 1923, when the hotel’s executive chef wanted something to pay tribute to actor George Arliss and his hit play, The Green Goddess.  He then concocted this dressing, which, like the play, became a hit.

Why did it go out of fashion?  Is it because of the anchovies?  There are anchovies in Cesar Salad dressing.  I don’t like anchovies, but they add a depth of flavor to recipes – a savory, salty flavor.

Ina Garten (a Goddess in her own right) adds 1 cup of basil instead of the parsley, which is a brilliant idea.

Original Green Goddess Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives or minced scallions
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs white wine vinegar
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry, and minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend well.

Use immediately or cover and refrigerate.