Parsley Sauce

May 2023

From Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison

Delicious on fish, vegetables, salad greens etc

Makes about 1 cup

"Green and fresh, this sauce provides a bright flourish to root soups and stews, or why not a plate of spaghetti or a bowl of polenta? It's also useful to have on hand to spoon over cooked beets, carrots, celery root, and so many other vegetables, especially winter ones. Be prepared to chop the parsley by hand. A food processor shreds it and it's not pretty. A fine mince of green fluff is what patience and a sharp knife will get you."

1 or more cloves garlic

Sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns 

1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds

3/4 cup finely chopped parsley 

3/4 cup olive oil 

1 large shallot or 4 green onions, the white parts plus a little of the greens, thinly sliced

Grated zest of 1 lemon

Fresh lemon juice or champagne vinegar, to finish

Pound the garlic in a mortar with 1/4 teaspoon salt, the peppercorns, the fennel seeds, and 2 tablespoons of the parsley to make a smooth paste. If the mixture seems too dry to handle well, add a little of the olive oil. Stir in the rest of the parsley, the shallot, the lemon zest, and the oil to make a thick, green sauce. Taste for salt, then sharpen with a little vinegar or lemon juice. Best when used with a couple of days.