My House Sauce: Italian Salsa Verde
Italian Salsa Verde
What separates a great meal from a truly outstanding meal is an amazing sauce. It is often the finishing touch that adds balance and cohesiveness to the meal. As a chef, I want a sauce with every meal, but as a working mom sauces are rarely a weeknight reality. This sauce, however, has become my favorite go-to. It is incredibly versatile and easy enough to make on a busy night. It brings instant brightness and umami flavor to everything from roasted veggies and potatoes to chicken or beef. I’ve served this sauce at dinner parties and watched people go back for second and third helpings! This year, I served this sauce at Thanksgiving as an alternative to gravy.
From a health perspective this sauce is loaded with nutritional benefits. Parsley is rich in antioxidants and vitamin K. It’s benefits far exceed a garnish. The anchovies provide a hint of extra omega-3 fat while the olive oil gives us heart-healthy omega-9 fats.
Working mom, chef tip: This Italian Salsa Verde freezes beautifully. Make it in a large batch and freeze it in 1/4 cup increments so that you can enjoy it regularly. Simply allow the sauce to come to room temperature before using.
Italian Salsa Verde
Author: Erica Leazenby, MD
Makes: about 2 cups
Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (about 2 cups packed)
2/3-1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup capers, drained
1 tsp anchovy paste
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar plus more to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice plus more to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
zest from 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
Place the parsley, capers, anchovies, vinegar, lemon and garlic in a food processor. Pulse the ingredients until they are well chopped. Scrape the sides of the bowl down as needed.
While the blade is running, slowly add the olive oil until the desired sauce consistency is reached.
Taste the sauce and season as needed with salt, pepper and additional vinegar or lemon juice. Serve at room temperature.
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Allow the sauce to come to room temperature before use.