Green Goddess Recipe

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Wrap whole small beets in foil with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, or place halved beets cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast until tender when pierced with a knife, about 35–50 minutes depending on size. Remove from oven, let cool, then peel (rub with a towel) and slice into wedges or thin slices. Measure out 1 cup for the salad.

If using leftover cooked beets, slice thinly and proceed. Keep warm or at room temperature until assembly.

Using a vegetable peeler or mandoline, shave the radishes, cucumber, and fennel into thin ribbons. Aim for a total of about 3 cups of shaved spring vegetables. Place in a large mixing bowl.

Trim watercress: remove coarse stems and any yellowed leaves. Roughly toss 2 cups of watercress into the bowl with the shaved vegetables. Toss gently to combine.

Prepare herbs

Roughly chop parsley, chives, and tarragon to help your blender or food processor work more evenly.

In a blender or food processor, combine the chopped parsley (1 cup), chives (2 tbsp), tarragon (2 tbsp), Greek yogurt (1 cup), mayonnaise (2 tbsp), lemon juice (2 tbsp), anchovy fillet (if using), and Dijon mustard (1 tsp). Pulse to combine into a thick green paste.

With the motor running, stream in 3 tbsp olive oil to emulsify. Taste and season with salt (start with 1 tsp, then adjust up to 3 tsp total) and freshly ground black pepper (about 1 tsp). If the dressing is too thick, add up to 2 tbsp water, 1 tbsp at a time, to reach a pourable consistency. Adjust lemon, salt, and pepper to taste.

Dress the shaved vegetables and watercress: add 3–4 tablespoons of the Green Goddess dressing to the bowl and toss gently to coat. You may reserve additional dressing to serve on the side. The salad should be lightly but evenly dressed—add more if desired.

Place dressed greens and shaved vegetables on a serving platter or divide among 4 plates (see servings). Arrange roasted beet slices over the greens.

Tear serrano ham into bite-size pieces and scatter over the salad. Crumble goat cheese evenly on top in small clusters so each bite has some cheese.

Drizzle the plated salad lightly with 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil and, if using, sprinkle 1 tsp lemon zest evenly over the top to brighten flavors.

Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt or crack of pepper as needed. Serve immediately so watercress stays crisp and ham remains slightly silky. Leftover dressing keeps refrigerated up to 4 days.