Green Goddess Salad Dressing
from Food Network Kitchens

A mixture of mayonnaise, anchovies, tarragon vinegar, parsley, scallions, garlic, and other spices was created at San Francisco’s Palace Hotel in the 1920’s for actor George Arliss, who stayed there while performing in The Green Goddess, a play that later became one of the earliest "talkie" movies. A dinner party held in honor of the play was held at the grand Palace Hotel. Chef Philip Roemer served artichoke bottoms filled with shrimp, chicken or crab, mixed with "Green Goddess" dressing.

Green goddess is a salad dressing, typically containing mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley, chives, anchovy, tarragon, lemon juice, and pepper. Before the advent of Ranch Dressing, green goddess was possibly one of the most popular salad dressings on the West Coast of the United States.

This classic salad dressing can be prepared in a blender or food processor and is good served as a dressing for steamed artichokes, a seafood salad, or as a sauce over broiled fish. (If you don't have fresh tarragon, you can use 1/4 teaspoon dried, instead.) By the way, it is all the fresh herbs that give the dressing its green color.

3 anchovy filets, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, dried, and coarsely chopped
3/4 cup prepared or homemade mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon leaves (/4 teaspoon dried)
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the anchovies, mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, tarragon, basil, shallots, lemon juice, and the 1/4-teaspoon of salt in a blender. Puree to make a smooth dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use immediately or store, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 2 days.