George’s Wild Garlic Salsa Verde

Wild Garlic Salsa Verde: Here’s a recipe for a seasonal twist on one of the all-time classic sauces.

Salsa verde — as the name suggests — spans a wide range of green sauces across global cuisines. The fundamentals are simple: green herbs, chopped or blitzed, bound with oil, and seasoned with some form of acidity. After that, you’re free to embellish with whatever tasty additions take your fancy — garlic, capers, chilli, mustard, and beyond.

In this version, wild garlic leaves bring the unmistakable, pungent aroma of the British springtime, making it a perfect accompaniment to all manner of meats and fish. Enjoy!

Lamp rump served pink with jersey royals and asparagus.

Ingredients

1 handful of wild garlic leaves, finely chopped
5 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves picked from the stalks and finely chopped
2 tsp of capers, roughly chopped
8 Spanish or Sicilian anchovy fillets matured in salt and preserved in extra virgin olive oil, drained
1 unwaxed lemon
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ a banana shallot, very finely diced
organic white wine vinegar

Method

Add the mint, wild garlic, capers, anchovies, and shallot to a bowl and season with salt. Then add the juice and zest of half the lemon, plus 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Stir together well before adding the olive oil.
Allow to sit for 10-minutes before stirring again and tasting for seasoning. Adjust as necessary.

Shop the ingredients

George Ryle

For 15 years George worked in some of London’s most loved restaurants, including Padella and Primeur, and had a 5-year stint as Head Chef at the Garden Museum Café. George earned rave reviews for his simple, thoughtful cookery, his dishes were firmly rooted in the classics, and always paid homage to the produce. In 2021 George realised a long-held ambition and released his first cookbook entitled, A Year In The Kitchen. It celebrates the annual cookery cycle, taking readers on a journey through the British seasons, showcasing native produce, and inspiring year round creativity. In 2022 George left London behind, and moved back home to Yorkshire. His passion for seasonal cookery and reverence of quality British ingredients proved that for George, home is where the heart is. Like his food, George is led by the seasons, he’s open to new opportunities, and always following his heart.