Time to get saucy

flat leaf parsley

Summer time and the cooking is easy.  No need to heat up a lot of pans or use up a lot of energy. Mother Nature is handing out bunches of green herbs that bring nutrition, color and taste to everything they touch. Don't underestimate the punch they pack. Easy elan every which way. So grab a farm fresh bunch of cilantro, parsley, mint and of course basil. 

Mint

Here again is the annual show of sauces you can make out of them to cover whatever you want to serve: simple like grilled fish or meat, or store bought spit roasted chicken, or focaccia, leftover rice, quickly steamed zucchini, or scrambled eggs.

Somali Bizbaz

1 large garlic clove, crushed

Juice of half a large lime

1/2 to 2 whole fresh Serrano chiles (depending on your taste)

1/2 to 2/3 tight-packed cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar, or to taste

1/2 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

More lime juice if needed

Place the garlic clove in a coffee cup and squeeze the lime juice over it. Let stand 20 minutes while you gather the other ingredients. 

Place the garlic, lime juice, chile, coriander leaves, sugar, yogurt, salt and pepper into the bowl of a food processor and purée. Taste for balance. Refrigerate an hour or so to mellow, and serve cool.

Nepali Cilantro Mint Sauce

1 med hot green chili
freshly ground black pepper
Salt to your paste
1 bunch fresh mint leaves (no stems)
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves (no stems)
1 lime or lemon, all the juice you can get 
1 tbsp water

In a mortar and pestle or food processor, pulverize the chili. Add the other ingredients and process into a thick sauce. 
  You can use this on kofta or other meatballs, pasta, eggs, lentils, salmon, lots of etc.

Italian Salsa Verde
This is not the Mexican salsa verde. It's salty for a reason: in summer we need salt to help us retain water as we sweat. So think of this as glamorous medicine.
Makes enough for 4.

1 sm garlic clove

2-3 anchovy fillets

1 tbsp capers

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 heaping tbsp basil leaves

1 heaping tbsp flat leaf parsley leaves

1 heaping tbsp mint leaves (not spearmint)

4-5 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Put the garlic in the food processor along with the anchovies, capers, Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar and blitz to a paste. Add the fresh herbs and “pulse” to incorporate. Add the olive oil and pulse briefly. Season with salt and pepper to your taste, remembering the anchovies and capers are already salty. 

Chimichurri, Argentine parsley sauce 

This is often referred to as Argentine steak sauce because it was concocted to top grilled beef in every form. But you can slather it on a lot of other things in summertime. And remember oil is vital in summer heat: it keeps the body lubed. So eat a lot of olive oil based sauces like this.

1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley (leaves of 1/2 bunch)

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

4 large garlic cloves, minced (2 1/2 tbsp)

2 tbsp oregano leaves

2 tsp crushed red pepper

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 c extra-virgin olive oil

In a food processor, combine the parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper. Process until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and pour the olive oil over the mixture. Let stand for at least 20 minutes.

Make Ahead. The chimichurri can be refrigerated.

Moroccan Cilantro SauceThis was created to be slathered on thick white flesh fish like halibut and baked. But it's just as perfect for already roasted chicken or grilled pork. 
serves at least 6 

2 bunches fresh cilantro, washed and patted dry

1/2 tsp salt

3 garlic cloves, smashed

1 serrano chili, minced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp whole coriander seeds

2 tbsp paprika

1/2 c olive oil

3 tbsp fresh lime juice (2 limes)

Roughly chop the cilantro. Put it in a medium bowl and add ½ tsp salt, the garlic, chili, ½ tsp cumin, ½ tsp ground coriander, paprika, ½ cup olive oil and all the lime juice.  Stir to blend.

Yemeni Zhoug, a fiery ode to cilantro with a touch of cardamom

This is now popular enough to be sold at Trader Joe's! It's spelled many ways including schug.
 
 5 serrano peppers, stemmed and seeded
1 cup cilantro leaves
4 garlic cloves
1/4 c flat leaf parsley
1 tbsp sea or kosher salt
2 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp ground coriander
juice of a large lemon
3/4-1 c olive oil

Combine everything but the oil in a food processor and whir until a coarse paste forms.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in the oil, starting with 3/4 c. Add more if needed. The sauce is not supposed to be perfectly pureed and smooth but chunkier.