Olive-Herb Sauce

This sauce is packed with herb, brine, and citrus flavors and makes a punchy addition to just about anything, from roasted veggies to grilled meats.

Makes 2 cups

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only

½ bunch parsley, leaves and tender stems only

⅓ cup olive oil

¼ cup green olives, pitted and roughly chopped

2 preserved lemons, minced (see note)

1 garlic clove, minced

1 lemon, juiced

METHOD

Mince the cilantro and parsley.

Combine. Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes, then taste for seasoning and adjust. The preserved lemon and olives are already salty, so be careful with the salt. They will account for most of the seasoning of the sauce.

Note: Preserved lemons are regular lemons that have been packed in salt (salt + time). The salt softens the rind and preserves the lemon. A staple in North African and Middle Eastern cuisine, preserved lemons lend a salty, citrusy punch to sauces, salads, and braised meats. Note that you only use the rind. To prepare, remove the flesh of the lemon and mince the rind. For 1 preserved lemon, you can sub the zest of 1 fresh lemon and a pinch of salt, but it won’t have quite the same umami presence.