4/6/18: I’ve updated this old favorite with new pictures.
In terms of preparation, think pesto sans the basil and cheese. It’s very easy and I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.
According to Marcella Hazan in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, this is typically prepared as an accompaniment to bolito misto (boiled meats), but in the few years that I’ve been acquainted with this versatile sauce, I have also enjoyed it with steak, fish (as seen in my previous post), roast potatoes and best of all, as a salad dressing (in this case, I “loosen” the sauce by adding more lemon juice and olive oil).
I’ll post the recipe as published in the book, but I think it’s very flexible. Allow your personal taste to dictate the proportions in the short ingredient list as I have learned to do. I will advise, however, that you double the recipe because it keeps very well in the fridge.
Salsa Verde
- 2/3 cup parsley leaves
- 2 1/2 Tbsp capers
- 6 flat anchovy fillets (you can omit but it changes the character of the sauce)
- 1-2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- Juice of half lemon (more or less to suit your liking)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt to taste
Just throw all the ingredients in the food processor and blitz. I usually add the olive oil a little at a time–it’s what works for me.
Italian Salsa Verde
Not to be confused with Mexican salsa verde, this Italian version is full of herbs, lemon juice, capers, garlic and anchovies. Bursting with fresh flavor, it's perfect as an accompaniment for grilled or roasted meats...and anything else you can think of.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup fresh parsley rinsed and chopped
- 2 1/2 Tbsp capers
- 6 anchovy fillets you can omit but it will change the character of the sauce
- 1-2 cloves garlic peeled
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt to taste
Instructions
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Add all the ingredients from the fresh parsley to the juice of 1/2 lemon and process in a food processor for a few seconds until the parsley has been chopped up. With the processor running, slowly add the olive oil and process until mostly smooth. Add salt to taste. Feel free to add more lemon juice or any of the other ingredients to suit your taste.
Recipe Notes
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled. A looser version with more lemon juice and olive oil makes for a wonderful, herby dressing for a summer salad.
Mmm, this is like an Italian chimichurri sauce! So versatile!