Ok, this is my new obsession. I made this sauce on a whim to accompany our Christmas Branzino (European Seabass) and it turned out so delicious that my guests poured it over the vegetables, mashed potatoes, fish and dipped bread in it too. I mean, it’s no invention. I’m sure this sauce or its variations have been made for centuries. It must have existed a 1000 years ago; people then were so much more in tune with nature and its best flavors.
It is made with parsley, cilantro, basil, garlic, olive oil, lime juice and salt. Can’t go wrong, right! It’s full of vitamins. It adds so much flavor to any dish. I think it’s the kind of sauce that will turn carnivores into vegetarians if they add it to the vegetables, which a lot of people find bland.
One of the reasons I will always make this sauce is because it uses the leftover coarse stems from parsley and cilantro, which I often discarded. Now- no more waste of vitamins.
PARSLEY is rich in many vital vitamins, including Vitamin C, B 12, K and A. This means parsley keeps your immune system strong, tones your bones and heals the nervous system, too. It helps flush out excess fluid from the body, thus supporting kidney function.
CILANTRO is most often cited as being effective for toxic metal cleansing and rightfully so, this herb is a powerful, natural cleansing agent. It is rich with an unusual array of healing phytonutrients and antioxidants. It is anti-septic, analgesic, aphrodisiac, helps with digestion, fungicidal and a natural stimulant. And, of course, it’s most powerful in its raw state or juiced form. It is a very good source of vitamins A, C, K and traces of the B vitamins. In the minerals department, it provides high amount of calcium and potassium. In addition, cilantro is rich in iron, manganese and sodium. Remember, especially these days, how important it is to keep the body rich in minerals. Basically a superfood.
GARLIC has too many benefits to list here for a busy mom like me. I will just say that, I grew up in Belarus and I don’t think I lived a day without garlic growing up. It was used for all kinds of ailments and added to all foods, raw and cooked.
So all that praise aside, this is how you make it.
- a large bunch of parsely with stems
- a large bunch of cilanto with stems
- ⅓ cup of basil
- 1 large garlic clove (minced)
- juice of half of lime
- ½ cup of olive oil
- salt
- Place all the ingredients in a blender or a small food-processor and blend/pulse until smooth. When I use my Vitamix blender, the sauce comes out silky smooth (like in the photo). When I use my Cuisinart mini-prep food processor, the sauce is lumpier but also delicious. I even prefer it a bit more textured. Adjust salt to your liking. I put ⅓ of a teaspoon.