Who else loves that combo of fresh, tangy & creamy that is Green Goddess dressing?
Green Goddess originated in the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, in 1923, and utilized mayonnaise as the base for its smooth, creamy consistency. Newer recipes often replace the mayo in part or whole with sour cream and/or Greek (or Plain) yogurt.
My recipe adds a new dimension both in terms of probiotics and depth of flavor by using homemade kefir cheese and sour cream. These are easy products to make using your kefir grains and milk kefir. Recipes for both these products may be found on my blog: kefir cheese recipe and kefir butter recipe (the butter recipe first explains how to make the delicious sour cream).
I also have videos for making kefir cheese and kefir sour cream. (Please subscribe for more tutorials!)
Can this recipe be used if I don’t have either or both of these kefir products?
Absolutely! The kefir cheese can be substituted with Greek or whole plain yogurt and the kefir sour cream can be replaced with any commercial brand of sour cream, If you’re missing either of these, you can even substitute them for each other. You could simply use 1 cup of kefir cheese for example.
You also don’t have to have a kefir-based item at all to use this recipe. Instead of a 1/2 cup of kefir cheese and a 1/2 cup of kefir sour cream, using 1 cup of either Greek yogurt or sour cream will also make a very tasty dressing. It won’t have quite the same flavor profile but I’m confident you’ll love it!
So, let’s do this!
Equipment:
- Kefir grains
- 2 quart mason jars (1 for kefir cheese, 1 for kefir sour cream)
- Fine mesh strainer with bowl or other device to strain kefir cheese from the whey
- Knife & cutting board
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Zester
- Citrus press
- Mixing bowl
- Small blender or food processor
- Dressing bottle
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup kefir cheese (or Greek or whole plain yogurt)
- 1/2 cup kefir sour cream (or any sour cream of choice)
- 1 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 cup combined soft herbs, chopped (choose a few or several): cilantro, dill, tarragon, basil, mint
- 3 TBSP minced chives
- 1 TBSP extra-virgin olive-oil
- 1/2 lemon, juiced and 1 tsp zest
- 2 tsp capers or 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard or Worcestershire sauce (or both)
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- Cracked black pepper to taste
- Optional: after blending, whisk in 1-2 TBSP mayo for added body.
- Optional: If the dressing is too thick, stir in a TBSP of water (or a splash of lemon juice, vinegar or Worcestershire sauce) to thin, or more as desired
Directions:
1.) Make 1/2 cup of kefir cheese by fermenting 4 cups of whole milk with 1 TBSP kefir grains overnight.
2.) Make kefir sour cream by culturing at least a half pint of heavy cream with 1 TBSP of milk kefir mixed evenly in. Allow to solidify at room temperature with a breathable lid, then refrigerate overnight or longer (with a solid lid). (Longer in the fridge will produce a tangier sour cream.)
3.) When the kefir cheese and sour cream are ready (or substitutes are in place), chop all the herbs and prepare all the other ingredients as directed.
4.) In blender or food processor, combine all the ingredients except the cheese and sour cream. Blend and pulse until smooth, around a minute. Add the kefir cheese and sour cream and continue to process until smooth and evenly blended, around another 30 seconds.
5.) Transfer to bottle or storage container and allow flavors to meld in fridge for at least an hour before using.
