World Food and Wine
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Sauce vierge

This virgin sauce, with Mediterranean overtones, is very popular with white fish and shellfish in the southern areas of France.

Ingredients

6 T olive oil
2 clv garlic (crushed, or finely chopped)
2 tomato (plum tomatoes, seeds removed, diced)
1⁄2 lemon (juice only)
3 T basil (fresh basil leaves, finely chopped)
  seasoning (to taste, black pepper, cracked)

Instructions

In a pan, heat the olive oil and the garlic until warm, then add the diced tomatoes, and heat for 2-3 minutes, so the tomato becomes slightly soft. The goal is to get an infusion of flavors, more than cooking the ingredients.

Mix in the lemon juice, herbs, and season to taste with salt and cracked black pepper.

Total time
18 minutes
Cooking time
3
Preparation time
15
Yield
1 batch

Notes

We like the tomatoes skin on, but peel them, as well as removing the seeds, if you wish.

Variations

  • Substitute 1 garlic clove with 2 anchovy fillets, from a can, finely diced.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, or substitute the basil with parsley.
  • Add other herbs.

This is one of the sauces that characterize modern French cuisine. We tend to prepare it with parsley and serve as a dressing for a rice and seafood salad.

Source

French cuisine

Sauce Antiboise

To the original sauce vierge recipe, add 1/2 teaspoon toasted coriander seed to the oil and garlic when warming, substitute chopped fresh basil with the same amount of fresh coriander.

easy, healthy
vegetables, sauces, dressings
French food recipes
Food in Europe