GREEN GODDESS DRESSING (the original recipe, about 4 cups)

The Green Goddess, a melodrama written by the Scottish drama critic and playwright William Archer in 1920, starred the great British actor George Arliss. During the play’s run in San Francisco, Arliss stayed at the Palace Hotel, and the chef there (Philip Roemer, at the Palm Court Restaurant) created this creamy, green-hued dressing in his honor.”

10 fillets of anchovy, finely cut

1 green onion, finely sliced

½ cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely cut tarragon

¼ cup finely cut chives

3 cups mayonnaise flavored with 2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar

1. Make the green goddess dressing: Combine all of the dressing ingredients. Let stand to mellow at least an hour before using (Dressing will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a week. It is very good for all seafood and fish dishes, in addition to salad.)

NOTE: Green Goddess dressing was originally served over a salad made by rubbing a wooden salad bowl with a peeled and halved clove of garlic and then filling it with a combination of 1 medium head each Boston and romaine lettuce, plus half of a head of chicory, all broken into bite sized pieces. If you want the dressing to be greener than the above, blend it in a food processor and add more chives, parsley and tarragon until you reach the desired hue.

adapted from James Beard, American Cookery