Using Your Summer Herbs

It’s that time of year when you look at your lovely herb pots that are filling up with their scented foliage and you wonder, what should I do with it all? From strongly flavored basil pesto, to milder mint leaves in a lettuce salad, dill sprinkled on a baked potato, or cilantro with fish tacos, the choices are endless. One of my favorite ways to use up a large amount of fresh herbs is in a green goddess dressing. Even though recipes for this dressing have been around for quite a few years, it seems to be making a comeback and everyone seems to have their own little twist to the recipe. Through combining your herb garden’s bounty with your preferred taste, a recipe is born.

Most recipes use parsley and chives as their main herbs and then allow for some flexibility with the additional flavors based on an individual's preferences and what they have on hand. Traditionally the dressing has sour cream, mayonnaise, and anchovies in it, but since I didn’t have sour cream or anchovies on hand, I tried a recipe that added some tahini and capers. I love the briny taste of capers in the recipe, but the sesame flavor of the tahini was overpowering. I decided to keep the tahini but reduced the amount significantly which was much more pleasing to my pallet. A lot of recipes called for tarragon and again, since this is not a herb that I normally grow, I just subbed it out with things that I do grow.

So without further ado, here is my version of Green Goddess Dressing:

Ingredients

• 1/2 packed cup parsley
• 1/2 cup packed mixed herbs (mint, basil, dill, oregano, sage, thyme)
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 small lemon (2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 cup water, plus more if necessary for lighter consistency

Instructions

• Process: add the parsley, herbs, chives, tarragon, capers, minced garlic, tahini, oil, lemon juice, and salt to a food processor. Process until the herbs are finely chopped and a thick mixture remains.
• Thin it Out: Start by adding 1/4 cup of water to the mixture, then processing well. Depending on your desired application (dip or dressing), you may need to add more water. I recommend adding water in 2 tablespoon increments, until your desired consistency is reached. Season with additional salt to taste, if necessary.
• Serve: serve as desired; store leftovers in the fridge for up to 7 days. The dressing will thicken considerably in the fridge overnight, so you might want to add more water in later.

Notes

Sometimes when I am picking a lot of herbs, I will divide the herbs to make multiple recipes of the dressing, put them in small resealable freezer bags, and pop them in the freezer. When I have the desire to make this dressing, I just take out a bag of herbs and make the dressing as usual. This is a great time saver as well.

What to eat it with…

I think you could have it with just about anything! Veggies, potatoes, grains, pasta, fish, and meat

Today I had it drizzled over a bowl of farrow, leftover brisket, chopped cabbage, and tomatoes. I also added a dollop of hummus. The combo may seem a bit odd but it sure was tasty!

I hope this has spurred you on to using some of your beautiful fresh herbs!