Green Goddess: A Springy Dressing for Your Herb Bounty

Spring has sprung, and so have the herbs spilling over box gardens, stretching towards the sun on windowsills, or laid out in droves at your local farmers’ market. Give them the spotlight they deserve in this lively version of the popular dressing, created by executive chef Jeff Carter of Dancing Bear Lodge and Appalachian Bistro in Townsend, Tennessee. Carter uses the abundance of herbs grown at the restaurant, plus creamy egg yolks to balance the brightness of lemon juice and vinegar, making this dressing perfect for drizzling over a salad, like Carter does, or as a dip for veggies and potato wedges.

Ingredients

Green Goddess Dressing (Yield: 1 quart)

2 cups mixed herbs, chopped (basil, parsley, mint, tarragon, chives, dill)
3 egg yolks
½ lemon, juiced and zested
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. kosher salt
½ cup white wine vinegar (or champagne vinegar)
2 cups olive oil
2 tbsp. roasted garlic oil (optional)

Preparation

In a food processor, add the yolks, lemon juice and zest, kosher salt, mustard, and vinegar. Blend together for 15–20 seconds. With the machine still running, slowly stream in oil to form an emulsion. (If using the roasted garlic oil, add it at this point.)

Once all oil is incorporated, turn off the machine. Add the herbs to the mix. Turn the machine on again and blend to get the green color and yogurt-like consistency, about 30–45 seconds. Scrape down the sides and blend for an additional 15–30 seconds.

Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use. The dressing will continue to turn green as the herbs leach out their color into the dressing.