Recipe: Mint salsa verde

Total time: About 22 minutes (12 if using a blender)

Servings: Makes three-fourths to 1 cup

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 anchovy fillets, preferably salted

1 tablespoon capers

6 tablespoons chopped

parsley leaves

2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup olive oil

1. Pound the garlic and salt in a mortar and pestle to a smooth paste. Chop the anchovies (if using salted anchovies, first rinse them under cool running water and pat them dry). Add the anchovies and capers to the garlic and pound to a paste. Add the parsley and mint and pound until you have a slightly coarse paste. Stir in the vinegar.

2. Stirring with the pestle, slowly pour in the olive oil so it makes a fairly smooth paste, like pesto. After you’ve added one-half cup, begin tasting the sauce and stop when you like the texture and flavor.

3. Alternatively, puree the garlic, salt, anchovies (if using salted anchovies, first rinse them under cool running water and pat dry), capers, parsley, mint and vinegar in a blender. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. After you’ve added one-half cup, begin tasting the sauce and stop when you like the texture and flavor.

Each tablespoon: 95 calories; 0 protein; 0 carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 11 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1 mg. cholesterol; 145 mg. sodium.