- 1 LARGE SHALLOT, MINCED
- 1 TEASPOON SHERRY VINEGAR
- 1 LARGE CLOVE GARLIC, MINCED
- SALT
- 1 BUNCH PARSLEY, FINELY CHOPPED (TENDER STEMS ARE OKAY, TOO!)
- 1 BUNCH CILANTRO, FINELY CHOPPED (LEAVES AND STEMS!)
- A PINCH OF RED CHILE FLAKES (OPTIONAL)
- 2 TABLESPOONS CAPERS, ROUGHLY CHOPPED
- ZEST OF 1 LEMON AND A SQUEEZE OF THE JUICE (OPTIONAL)
- 1 1/2 CUPS MILD EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
Caper Salsa Verde with Sweet Potatoes
Makes ~2 Cups salsa verde
*As seen in our Botanica at Home: Salsa Verde video*
This one’s for the condiment obsessives out there. At the restaurant, seared Milliken Farm Japanese sweet potatoes with salsa verde have been on the menu since Day 1. But really, any excuse we can find to spoon salsa verde over something, we use. Fridge full of old carrots? Roast, then smother accordingly. Fried eggs need a little somethin’? You know what to do. Drizzle it over grilled prawns, spoon it liberally over roasted wild salmon, serve it with lamb kabobs… There’s nothing this herby, piquant combo can’t elevate.
Another perk: It couldn’t be more adaptable. Sub whatever herbs you have on hand for parsley or cilantro (mint is delicious, and tarragon adds an unexpected flavor jolt). We’re partial to adding lemon zest and thinly sliced scallions to the mix, too. Watch our salsa verde video to understand the true extent of its versatility!
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Instructions
Place shallots, garlic and sherry vinegar in a bowl, sprinkle with a little salt, stir, and set aside to macerate for 15 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients to the jar and stir well. Stir again and taste: You’re looking for a balance of acid, salinity, and herby freshness. If it tastes too harsh, add a few more splashes of olive oil. Add salt as needed. If you want it brighter, add more lemon or vinegar. It’ll keep in your fridge for a week!
To serve with Japanese sweet potatoes, as we do at Botanica: Bring a pot of heavily salted water (it should taste like the sea) to a boil. Gently drop in the potatoes, lower the heat a tad, and simmer until you can pierce the potatoes with a knife, but not to the point where they’re falling apart / the skin is coming off. (This usually takes about 15 minutes, but varies depending on the size of the potato!) Remove the potatoes, rinse in cold water, let cool, then halve lengthwise.
Heat a few glugs of olive oil in a cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Place the potatoes cut-side down and sear until nice and caramelized — about 3 minutes. (The potatoes are great finished on a grill, too!) Arrange the sweet potatoes, cut-side up, by stacking them gently atop each other, like you’re building a beautiful potato mountain! Stir the salsa verde so you get bits of every component, then spoon it generously over the top. More is more here – there’s no such thing as too much salsa verde, in our opinions – so don’t be afraid. Season with sea salt, zest the lemon over the top, shower with cilantro blossoms (optional) and serve.
