The Semi-German Green Sauce

4.3
4 Ratings

QueenSashy

Test Kitchen-Approved
The Semi-German Green Sauce
Serves
3 to 4 cups

Speaking of herbs, and the color green, I consider it one of the greatest oversights in the world of cooking that so many of us cherish Italian salsa verde, Argentinian chimicurri and French sauce verte, and yet so few know of the German green sauce (Grüne Soße), one of greatest green sauces ever. This oversight can be partially attributed to the fact that some of the herbs required (borage, sorrel, chervil, salad burnet, lovage, lemon balm, to name the few) are not easy to source, even in Germany. A devotee of the German green sauce, I occasionally grow the herbs on my windowsill. However, far more often I turn to what’s available at the market, and make this equally yummy green cousin. I serve it with steamed fish, boiled baby potatoes, grilled lamb chops, and hard boiled eggs.

Ingredients

  • 2 cup packed sorrel
  • 1 1/2 cup packed chives
  • 1 cup packed parsley
  • 1/2 cup packed dill
  • 1/4 cup packed tarragon
  • 6 to 8 tablespoon Greek yogurt
  • 6 to 8 tablespoon crème fraîche (or European-style sour cream)
  • 4 to 6 tablespoon buttermilk
  • 4 hard boiled eggs
  • 2 tablespoon sunflower (or other neutral) oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Featured Video

A good condiment is invaluable, especially in the summer. A batch of grune sosse can see you through the week: swiped through with a slice of bread, folded through a bowl of steamed vegetables, or, as I used my first spoonful, swirled through soba noodles. Compared to other grune sosse recipes, this one is weighted toward herbs over dairy, which gives it the strength of a good pesto, but livelier.

Directions

  • Step 1

    Sieve or purée the egg yolks. (Keep the whites for another use.) Slowly add the oil and mix to form a smooth paste. Add the crème fraîche and mix well, until creamy.

  • Step 2

    Chop all the herbs very finely. Add the yogurt and buttermilk and mix well. (Alternatively, you can mix the herbs, buttermilk, and yogurt, and then chop in a food processor. Make sure you do not over-process.) Add the creamy egg base, and mix well until fully combined. Season with salt and pepper, and if needed, adjust by adding more yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream, according to taste.

  • Step 3

    Boil some veggies, fish, or eggs, or grill some lamb, and serve.

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