Recipe: Super Salsa Verde!

We're putting this up due to a few requests for the recipe from former Cook Eat Discover guests who we prepared it for in Tuscany. Vivid green and delicious with meats, fish and vegetables, Salsa Verde is the condiment you've been missing in your life!

Literally 'green sauce', Salsa Verde is tangy, savoury and slightly sweet all at the same time... and it takes about 3 minutes to make! Put the stick blender in a few anchovies, capers, a little olive oil, garlic, vinegar, and plenty of fresh herbs, and you're there!

Its sharpness makes it the perfect counterbalance for something strong and meaty - dip a barbecued Italian sausage in it and you'll never look back. For non-meat eaters it also goes great with roasted vegetables. Plus, with Salsa Verde you're looking at a sauce which is pretty healthy compared with the likes of ketchup, mayo or barbecue sauce.

Once you've got a batch, it will keep for a week or so in the fridge if you put a layer of oil on top, and you can turn it into other things too; for example thin it out a little and use it as a salad dressing.

So simple and cheap to make, but with an intense and moreish flavour - honestly give this one a go, you won't regret it!

Makes one batch to keep in a jar

• 1 garlic clove
• 3 anchovy fillets
• Bunch of fresh green herbs - mainly parsley works, but I also throw a little fresh mint and/or fresh oregano in.
• 1 tbsp capers
• 2-3 tbsp white wine vinegar, depending on how sharp you like it
• 100-150ml extra virgin olive oil, or until the texture is as you want it. I like it creamy but not too thick
• 1 tsp dried bread crumbs (creates a creamier consistency)

1. Put all the ingredients in a bowl or jar, and blend with a stick blender until smooth. You can also use a food processor.
2. If you feel like it's too thick/loose/not fresh enough/too sharp/not sharp enough/bland etc, just adjust the flavour or consistency by adding a little more of one or two of the ingredients above. For example anchovies (to make it more salty and savoury), garlic (for more punch), vinegar (for more acid), oil (to make it more liquidy or to reduce the intensity of flavour), herbs (to make it fresher), breadcrumbs (to thicken it) etc. That's all there is to it!