Parsley Sauce

This summer I was at a friend’s BBQ/birthday party and had the opportunity to catch up with many friends I hadn’t seen in years. While reminiscing about old times, my friend Cookie said “Guess what I made the other day!?... Parsley sauce!” I hadn’t thought about parsley sauce in over a decade. Every year Cookie would invite a bunch of us over for a delicious prime rib dinner - served with parsley sauce on the side. I have no idea where the recipe originated but I found a copy of Cookie’s parsley sauce recipe on a hand scrawled recipe card tucked into an old recipe box.

Parsley sauce is like a cross between pesto and gremolata. Its color is bright green with a delicately herbal flavor. Too often parsley is relegated to only being used as a garnish - nobody really “eats” parsley, do they? Well, when you find yourself with a big bunch of parsley and don’t want to see it go to waste, make some parsley sauce. As with pesto, the sauce can be frozen for later use as a topping for meats, vegetables, or even combined with sour cream for a quick dip.

Parsley comes in curly and flat-leaf varieties. I think the flat-leaf parsley works best in this recipe, but whichever type you use, you have to wash the parsley well to remove any dirt that may be hiding amongst the leaves. I rinse the parsley under a spray of cool running water then give it a whirl in a salad spinner to remove most of the residual water. Pick the leaves off the stems and set the stems aside for another use, such as making soup stock.

PARSLEY SAUCE

In a blender or small food processor, combine:

1 cup loosely packed flat parsley leaves
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & pepper

Purée until smooth. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.

Serve as a topping over meats, fish or veggies.