BLT DIP

Steps:

• Green Goddess Dressing: In a blender, add sour cream, mayonnaise, tarragon, basil, anchovies, sugar, salt, garlic, and lemon juice. Cover and purée on high until smooth and green; taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Makes about 1 cup.)
• Dip: Cut tomatoes into a small dice. (If using grape or cherry tomatoes, halve or quarter them, depending on size.) Place in a colander and toss with ½ teaspoon salt. Set colander over a bowl to drain, 15-20 minutes. Trim lettuce leaves by cutting off the leafy portion of each leaf (reserve for another use, such as Naomi Pomeroy's Mom's Simple Salad). Reserve two romaine stems, then chop the rest into ⅓-inch pieces to yield about 1 cup. Place in a bowl and set aside. Trim 2 scallions and thinly slice white and light green parts; add to the bowl with the lettuce. Use a rubber spatula to push out as much liquid as possible from the tomatoes in the colander. Add tomatoes to the bowl and stir to combine, along with remaining salt. Fold in half to all of the Green Goddess Dressing, depending on your preference. (But be generous: it's a dip, not a salad!)
• Assembly: Transfer the dip into a serving bowl (preferably glass, so the layers are visible). Top with crumbled bacon. Trim remaining scallion, thinly slice white and light green part, and scatter on top. Serve at room temperature with reserved romaine stems, white bread toast points, or crackers.