Saucy little numbers
These two simple sauces turn carbohydrates into a full meal.
Make-it-work green sauce
This sauce came about from staring deeply into my fridge and out to my fledgling herb garden, then hoping for the best. And having a random craving for chimichurri flavours.
1 cup flat-leaf parsley 1⁄2 cup olive oil (plus extra 1⁄4 cup to thin sauce, if too thick) 1⁄3 cup apple cider vinegar 1⁄4 cup mixed herbs (whatever is in the herb garden or lurking in the fridge) 3⁄4 cup green olives (about 110g)
1 green chilli, chopped (or 3⁄4-1 tsp chilli flakes, to taste)
1 tsp ground cumin (or ground coriander)
Blitz all the ingredients together in a blender. The sauce should have some body, but it shouldn’t be thick like a relish – if you achieve a runny pesto-like consistency you are on the right track. If it seems too thick, just add a little more oil to thin it out, about a tablespoon at a time. Store in a sealed jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Makes about 11⁄2 cups What to do with it
Loaded ku¯ mara wedges
Cut 700g of ku¯ mara lengthways into thick wedges and roast in a 180C oven for about 45 minutes, or until cooked through and golden.
Scatter over 1⁄2 cup of Persian-style feta chunks, some coarsely torn coriander leaves if you have them, and drizzle with green sauce.
Other suggestions:
This works like a dream drizzled over roasted cauliflower, or various roasted proteins.
Try it as a stir-through sauce for a beef and vegetable stir-fry. Add it to scrambled eggs.
Use as a dressing for a grain salad, or as a marinade for chicken or lamb kebabs.
Lemon-butter pasta with parmesan
This lemon-butter pasta recipe is a nod to classic fettuccine Alfredo, which does not contain cream. The richness comes from the simple emulsion of butter, parmesan and starchy pasta water.
Like a salad dressing or pan sauce, it requires vigorous whisking to get the fat to meld with the water. But once it comes together and al dente noodles are added, stirring and tossing will lead to a silky sauce that clings to the pasta.
8 tbsp unsalted butter
Finely grated zest from 2 large lemons (2 tbsp)
Salt
450g fettuccine, or another pasta
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for optional garnish Freshly ground black pepper
In a frying pan large enough to hold all the pasta, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the lemon zest and swirl to mix. Remove from heat.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving 11⁄2 cups of the pasta water.
Return the butter to medium heat, then whisk in the reserved pasta water until combined, about 2 minutes. Add the parmesan in a couple of handfuls, whisking until emulsified, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the pasta to the sauce; toss and stir until the noodles are glossed with sauce, 3-5 minutes.
Serve with more black pepper and parmesan.