‘Awesome’ seems to be one of those ‘in’ words at the moment.
All the cool kids are using it. At least according to my Dad, who keeps a weather eye on things vernacular.
And, as you may (or may not) already know, I’m a total sucker for a good green sauce.
Despite all the long, slow cooking recipes you’ll find here at JFC, there are some nights where you so can’t be bothered cooking, and it’s all you can manage to grill a piece of fish… or, a chicken thigh or two… or rub a little rosemary and salt into some lamb lollipops to chuck onto the barbecue.
On nights like these, a good green sauce will elevate that grilled protein to something AWESOME!
And this particular green sauce has three of my most favourite ingredients:
Anchovies
“I know I’m an acquired taste – I’m anchovies. And not everybody wants those hairy little things.” ― Tori Amos
Rich in protein, vitamins and minerals that help in maintaining good health, anchovies contain calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. Yep – all that! They are a good source of vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin C, B-12, B-6, A, E and vitamin K. And, they contain fatty acids and cholesterol.
Anchovies are really good for you!
Garlic
“You can never have enough garlic. With enough garlic, you can eat The New York Times.” – Morley Safer
Did you know that garlic is reputed to be the oldest known medicinal plant variety in existence?
Garlic contains useful minerals such as phosphorous, calcium and iron, as well as trace minerals like iodine, sulfur and chlorine (which are also present in the cloves). In terms of organic compounds, garlic is a rare source of allicin.
Allicin, is a therapeutic ingredient with many medicinal qualities. The allicin compound contains sulfur, which gives the garlic its pungent savor and peculiar smell. It helps fight heart ailments, fight cold, cough, and lowers blood pressure. Its also very good for your digestion.
We should all be eating more garlic!
Parsley
“Parsley – the jewel of herbs, both in the pot and on the plate.” – Albert Stockli
Parsley contains vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, choline, folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, and copper. All that in little old parsley!
Parsley is anti-inflammatory and liver cleansing. Its a great breath freshener. Parsley can also provide relief from gastrointestinal issues like indigestion, stomach cramps, bloating, and nausea. And, it helps to strengthen the immune system.
Who doesn’t love parsley?
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And, if you haven’t experienced roasted garlic before, I encourage you to have a play. It is wonderful smeared on crackers, added to mash or served with roasted vegetables. Very yummy!
As you can see, we had our AMAZING Anchovy & Roasted Garlic Green Sauce with some of Farmer George‘s juicy little lamb lollipops that I picked up from Farmer George himself at the markets on Saturday. I just made a wee rub of fresh rosemary and salt before LM grilled them up on the barbecue. Scrummy!
And then, I made my version of green eggs for breakfast this morning (they were gone before I remembered to take a pic!) Turns out this green sauce makes a lovely accompaniment to eggs and fermented veggies. Who knew!
- 1 large head of garlic
- ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil + extra for drizzling on your garlic (EVOO)
- Salt
- ½ cup coconut milk
- 1 tin of anchovies in olive oil (approximately 12 - 15 fillets)
- 2 bunches flat leaf parsley (approximately 150g)
- Juice of half a lemon
- Heat your oven to 200°C/390°F. Cut the top centimetre off your heads of garlic to expose the cloves inside. Pop the garlic into a small baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss gently to coat. With garlic heads cut side up, cover tightly with foil. Bake until your garlic skins are golden brown and the cloves are lovely and tender, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool a little. Squeeze the garlic cloves from skins.
- Pop squeezed garlic cloves, EVOO, coconut milk, anchovies and parsley into your food processor. Pulse until smooth.
- Add lemon juice one tablespoon at a time, pulsing to mix in, until it tastes just right.
- Try not to stand at your bench scooping up giant spoonfuls...
E N J O Y !
This recipe features in the Phoenix Helix Recipe Roundtable
It sounds delish. I will try it. But I think you meant to say that the parsley goes into the processor with everything else too?
Thanks for noticing, Judith. I did!
🙂
Green sauce with lamb lollipops… I think I need to adjust my menu plan this week~. I also accept your premise that a good green sauce transforms even the simplest meat+veg into something inspired. And this looks like a particularly good green sauce!
I’m a MASSIVE fan of the green sauce, Petra!
You got me salivating for Australian lamb. This place has many a good feature but for some reason the taste of lamb just isn’t as flavourful as back home. Another knock-out Frankham recipe!!
My Mum always says lamb tastes different in the Northern Hemisphere, too. Next time you’re in town, I’ll make sure to have some Farmer George lamb on hand!