Summer is officially here! Bring on the fresh greens, raw ingredients and light meals that go so well with summer heat. To make the salads and crudites more satisfying, I love a creamy dip or dressing. This one is a summer favorite, with some nice umami notes from the anchovy (which won’t make the whole dish taste like anchovy AT ALL – I promise). Dunk some asparagus tops, celery sticks or red peppers in this rich superfood condiment, or toss some baby greens, young peas and sliced radishes in it. Delicious either way!
Makes: 10 servings
Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 anchovy fillets
1 clove garlic
¼ cup green onions or chives
½ cup fresh parsley
¼ cup fresh tarragon
2 Tbsp fresh dill or basil
½ tsp salt or more, to taste
½ tsp pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Preparation:
1. Combine lemon juice, anchovies, and garlic in processor. Blend until garlic is finely chopped.
2. Add avocado, parsley, tarragon, and basil; blend until almost smooth.
3. With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube in thin stream.
4. Transfer dip to small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Store in an air tight container or jar in the fridge. Keeps for about 5 days.
Variations:
To make this into a dressing, or if you don’t love the taste of avocado, consider adding the following:
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar (the dip will have more of a mayo taste to it) and ½ tsp honey
OR
1/3 cup of your favorite sustainable dairy product (organic and grass fed is best): both sour cream and buttermilk are classics; IF you tolerate dairy, that is…
OR
1/3 cup water (for a smooth dressing; without the water, the dip will be very thick and creamy)