Green Goddess dressing was created in San Francisco in 1920 at the Palace Hotel in honor of the British actor George Arliss who was there, starring in a play called The Green Goddess. You’ll have enough vinaigrette and Green Goddess dressing left over to use for other salads. Instead of using the avocados as a separate ingredient, you could also buzz them up in the Green Goddess dressing.

(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 fillets of skin on Verlasso fresh salmon each about 6 – 8 ounces each and about 1 inch thick
  • Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cups gently packed mixed savory greens such as frisée, cress, arugula, mustard
  • Lemon vinaigrette (recipe follows)
  • Olive oil
  • 1 medium avocado cut into 4 fans
  • Green Goddess dressing (recipe follows)

For the Lemon Vinaigrette
(Makes a generous cup)

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
  • 6 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons fragrant honey or to taste
  • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil

For the Green Goddess Dressing

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 4 (or more) anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained and chopped
  • 3 tablespoons chopped chives
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1 tablespoon drained chopped capers
  • 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • Drops of fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

For the Lemon Vinaigrette

  1. Whisk all ingredients of the vinaigrette together.
  2. Store covered and refrigerated up to 5 days

For the Green Goddess Dressing

  1. Combine all ingredients except salt, pepper and lemon juice in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine.
  2. Season to your taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
  3. Store covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

For the Salmon

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Season the fish generously with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour.
  3. In an oven proof skillet heat the olive oil over moderately high heat. Add the fish flesh side down and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn fish over and transfer to the oven and roast for another 4 – 5 minutes or until salmon is just done and still slightly translucent in the center.
  4. Meanwhile toss the greens with a little of the lemon vinaigrette and arrange attractively on plates.
  5. When fish is done slide a spatula between the skin and flesh and place the fillets on top of the greens.
  6. Place avocado fans on top, spoon Green Goddess dressing over and serve immediately.