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Romaine Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

By Aaron Furmanek

Published on December 2, 2014

Time

30 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigerating

Yield

Serves 4

Romaine Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

Ingredients

1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons dried tarragon ¾ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup sour cream ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 1 garlic clove, chopped1 anchovy fillet, rinsed¼ cup minced fresh chives Salt and pepper 4 slices bacon 2 romaine lettuce hearts (12 ounces), quartered lengthwise1 avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces1 small shallot, sliced into thin rings

Before You Begin

Reduced-fat mayonnaise works well in this dressing.

Instructions

  1. Combine lemon juice, water, and tarragon in bowl and let sit for 15 minutes.
  2. Process mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley, garlic, anchovy, and tarragon mixture in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Transfer dressing to bowl and stir in chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for 1 hour to let flavors blend.
  3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crispy, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate and let cool. Crumble bacon into bite-size pieces.
  4. Place romaine hearts on platter, cut sides up, and drizzle liberally with dressing. Top with avocado, shallot, and bacon. Season with pepper to taste, and serve.

Romaine Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

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Time

30 minutes, plus 1 hour refrigerating

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed
¼ cup minced fresh chives
Salt and pepper
4 slices bacon
2 romaine lettuce hearts (12 ounces), quartered lengthwise
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 small shallot, sliced into thin rings

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed
¼ cup minced fresh chives
Salt and pepper
4 slices bacon
2 romaine lettuce hearts (12 ounces), quartered lengthwise
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 small shallot, sliced into thin rings

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
¾ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 anchovy fillet, rinsed
¼ cup minced fresh chives
Salt and pepper
4 slices bacon
2 romaine lettuce hearts (12 ounces), quartered lengthwise
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 small shallot, sliced into thin rings

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Crunchy romaine hearts serve as both a satisfying and visually appealing base for this salad. To make the green goddess dressing bright, fresh, and flavorful, we use a combination of three different herbs: tarragon, parsley, and chives. A single umami-rich anchovy adds savory depth to the dressing. To finish the salad, bacon and avocado provide a contrast of crunchy and creamy.

Before You Begin

Reduced-fat mayonnaise works well in this dressing.

Instructions

  1. Combine lemon juice, water, and tarragon in bowl and let sit for 15 minutes.
  2. Process mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley, garlic, anchovy, and tarragon mixture in blender until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of blender jar as needed. Transfer dressing to bowl and stir in chives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for 1 hour to let flavors blend.
  3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until crispy, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate and let cool. Crumble bacon into bite-size pieces.
  4. Place romaine hearts on platter, cut sides up, and drizzle liberally with dressing. Top with avocado, shallot, and bacon. Season with pepper to taste, and serve.

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