Green Goddess Herb Sauce

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the herbs

   • On a clean cutting board, roughly chop the basil, tarragon, and flat-leaf parsley into bite-sized pieces, about ½ inch (1.3 cm) across.
   • Cut the chives into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces to keep them uniform for even blending.
   • Pat the herbs dry one more time with a clean kitchen towel to remove any excess moisture—this ensures the sauce stays bright green and isn't watered down.

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   Ready when: All herbs are chopped into uniform pieces and completely dry

   Tip: Dry herbs thoroughly after washing—any water clinging to the leaves will dilute the final sauce and dull its fresh flavor.

2. 2

   Mince garlic and anchovies

   • Mince the garlic clove very finely on the cutting board, about the size of small peas.
   • Drain the anchovy fillets on a paper towel to remove excess oil, then place them on the cutting board and mince them into a fine paste.
   • The anchovies will break down quickly; use the flat side of your knife to crush them as you mince for smoother incorporation.

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   Ready when: Garlic and anchovies are finely minced into a paste-like consistency

   Tip: Mincing the anchovies by hand creates a smoother, more evenly distributed paste than letting the processor do it—this ensures no fishy-tasting bites.

3. 3

   Blend herbs with aromatics

   • Place the chopped basil, tarragon, parsley, and chives into a food processor or blender.
   • Add the minced garlic and anchovy paste.
   • Pulse 5–6 times for about 30 seconds total, using short bursts.
   • Stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula after 2–3 pulses.
   • The herbs should be finely chopped with no large pieces remaining, but not yet pureed into a dark paste.

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   Ready when: Herbs are finely minced with no large visible pieces, mixture is bright green

   Tip: Overprocessing the herbs oxidizes them and turns the sauce a dull olive-brown color. Use quick pulses and stop while the mixture is still bright green.

4. 4

   Incorporate mayonnaise and lemon

   • Add the room-temperature mayonnaise and fresh lemon juice to the herb mixture in the processor.
   • Pulse 4–5 times until completely combined, about 15 seconds.
   • Stop and scrape down the sides once midway through.
   • The sauce should now be smooth, creamy, and uniformly light green with no visible streaks or chunks.

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   Ready when: Sauce is smooth, creamy, and uniform in color with no visible herb chunks or mayonnaise streaks

   Tip: Use room-temperature mayonnaise so it blends smoothly; cold mayo can create a lumpy or grainy texture in the final sauce.

5. 5

   Season and transfer

   • Transfer the sauce from the processor to a medium bowl using a spatula, scraping out every bit.
   • Taste a small spoonful.
   • Sprinkle a pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of freshly ground black pepper over the top.
   • Stir gently with a spoon until the seasonings are fully incorporated throughout.

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   Ready when: Sauce is well seasoned, balanced between herbaceous, creamy, and bright, with no visible specks of salt

   Tip: Anchovies contribute significant salt, so taste first and add salt gradually. You can always add more seasoning, but you cannot remove it once added.

6. 6

   Adjust and taste

   • Sample the sauce again.
   • If it tastes too tangy or acidic, add another splash of room-temperature mayonnaise (about ½ tablespoon at a time) and stir.
   • If it needs more brightness or if the lemon flavor is muted, add a few drops of fresh lemon juice.
   • If the sauce feels too thick, whisk in a teaspoon of water at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
   • The sauce should coat a spoon lightly and taste balanced.

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   Ready when: Sauce is well balanced between creamy and bright, coats a spoon lightly, and tastes delicious

   Tip: Make adjustments slowly—it's easy to overshoot and make the sauce too thick or too acidic. Add in small increments and taste between each addition.