Makes: About 1 cup
Time: 10 minutes
This purée is for when you want the full-on taste of concentrated fresh herbs. Use it within a few days; there’s no point in freezing it. Parsley is common enough that you can make it whenever the craving strikes, though there are lots of other options below.
2 cups fresh parsley (thin stems are okay), rinsed and dried
Salt
½ cup olive oil, or more if needed
1. Combine the parsley, a pinch salt, and about half the oil in a food processor or blender. Puree, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides as necessary and adding the rest of the oil gradually. Add a little more oil or some water if you prefer a thinner mixture.
2. Taste and add more salt if you’d like, then serve. Or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a couple of days. Return the purée to room temperature to make it pourable again.
Variations
Cilantro, Dill, Basil, or Mint Purée. These are good for their straight herbaceous flavors; cilantro purée is terrific with grilled chicken, mint with lamb, and dill with vegetables or fish: Substitute any of these herbs (leaves only or leaves and very thin stems) for the parsley.
Chimichurri. Strong enough to stand up to grilled meat: Add 2 tablespoons or more chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or wine vinegar, and at least 1 teaspoon red chile flakes before puréeing. To keep pourable, serve at room temperature.
Zhug. This spiced herb sauce is originally from Yemen, and an integral condiment in Israel and throughout the Middle East: Substitute cilantro for 1 cup of the parsley and reduce the oil to ¼ cup. In Step 1 add 2 or more chopped hot green chiles (like Thai bird or serrano), seeded if you like, 1 clove garlic, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, and ¼ teaspoon each ground coriander and ground cardamom. Process until smooth and pourable, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too thick.
Green Olive Mojo. Caribbean and intense: Reduce the olive oil to ¼ cup; add ¼ cup fresh lime juice, or more to taste. After puréeing, still in the food processor, pulse in 1 cup pitted green olives so they’re in small bits but not puréed. Or chop the olives by hand and stir in at the start of Step 2.
Cilantro Sauce. Even brighter: Replace the parsley with cilantro, add 1 teaspoon chopped garlic and 1 tablespoon lime juice.
