Sauce Verte (Green Herb Sauce)
One of the oldest sauces in French cuisine, dating to the Renaissance. Originally bread-based, evolved into a herb-enriched emulsion. Never cook it — raw herbs provide the bright green colour and fresh flavour.
Ingredients (~250 ml)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Flat-leaf parsley, packed | 25 g |
| Fresh tarragon | 10 g |
| Fresh chervil (or extra parsley) | 10 g |
| Fresh chives | 8 g |
| Baby spinach (for colour stability) | 15 g |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | 120 ml |
| White wine vinegar or lemon juice | 20 ml |
| Capers, drained | 10 g |
| Anchovy fillet (optional) | 1 piece (~5 g) |
| Garlic clove, minced | 3 g |
| Shallot, minced | 10 g |
| Fine sea salt | 2 g |
Method
- Blanch spinach in boiling water 10 seconds, shock in ice water, squeeze dry.
- Blend all herbs, spinach, garlic, shallot, capers, anchovy (if using), vinegar, and half the oil until smooth.
- With motor running, drizzle in remaining oil until pourable but thick.
- Season. Refrigerate 1 hour minimum.
Old-fashioned version: Soak 20 g stale bread (crust removed) in water, squeeze dry. Blend with herbs, garlic, oil, vinegar.
Notes
Pairs with: Poached/grilled fish, cold roast chicken, boiled potatoes, steamed vegetables, grilled lamb.
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