When the festive season or a special dinner calls for a culinary flourish, chef and food writer Tom Hunt turns to a simple yet spectacular solution: a homemade salsa verde. This vibrant, adaptable green sauce is his go-to for transforming simple roasts into memorable meals while tackling the common kitchen dilemma of leftover herbs.
The Ultimate Versatile Sauce
More than just a condiment, Hunt champions salsa verde as a forgiving and endlessly versatile kitchen staple. It acts as a last-minute showstopper, requiring only a handful of store-cupboard ingredients paired with whatever fresh herbs need using up. While the classic combination features parsley, garlic, capers, anchovies, olive oil, and vinegar, Hunt encourages creativity. The only real rules are that the final result should be green and saucy.
"Anything goes," he suggests, noting that for his version he used a mix of rosemary, sage, lemon verbena, and even nasturtiums gathered from the garden. This "waste-not" approach makes the sauce perfect for using an excess of herbs, leafy greens, or their often-discarded soft stalks.
Mastering the Method for Perfect Texture
Hunt shares his preferred technique for the best results. He strongly advocates chopping the herbs by hand rather than using a blender, as this creates a far superior texture. If a blender must be used, he advises pulsing all ingredients together only after pre-chopping the herbs into pieces no larger than 10mm.
Patience is also a key ingredient. The flavours meld and improve significantly if the sauce is allowed to rest. Ideally, make it the day before or in the morning for use in the evening, giving the acid time to gently break down the herbs.
Tom Hunt's Thrifty Salsa Verde Recipe
Here is the chef's detailed recipe to create your own batch of this transformative sauce.
Ingredients:
- 100g mixed seasonal fresh herbs, leaves and soft stalks (discard woody stalks)
- 1 small garlic clove, peeled, or 1 tbsp finely chopped onion
- 1 pinch coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp capers, finely chopped (optional)
- 2 anchovy fillets (optional)
- 3 tbsp stale bread (optional)
- 1½ tbsp vinegar (white-wine, red-wine, or cider vinegar) or lemon juice
- 1 tsp mustard (optional)
- 50-100ml extra-virgin olive oil
Method:
- Gather the herbs into a bunch and finely chop from stalk to leaf. Use a cross-chopping motion until everything is evenly and finely chopped.
- For a thicker sauce, chop the stale bread into small cubes, toss with the vinegar or lemon juice, and leave to soak.
- In a mortar, pound the garlic and sea salt with the capers and anchovy fillets (if using) into a puree.
- Add all the chopped herbs to the mortar and pound again for about 30 seconds to break them down.
- Pound in the soaked stale bread, if using. If not using bread, add the vinegar or lemon juice at this stage.
- Stir in the mustard, if desired.
- Finish by stirring in enough extra-virgin olive oil to achieve your preferred consistency.
- Season to taste, adjust the acidity if needed, then store in a clean jar. Use within a day or two for the best flavour.
This make-ahead sauce is delicious with almost any simple roast, grilled fish, or fried vegetables, effortlessly elevating a weekday meal or a festive centrepiece like roast chicken. It's a powerful demonstration of how mindful cooking can reduce food waste while maximising flavour.
