Cal Peternell’s Fried Herb Salsa

Fried Herb Salsa

• 1 garlic clove, pounded to a paste with a pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1/3 cup good olive oil
• 1/3 cup crumbled fried herbs (recipe follows)

1. Mix everything together, stir, taste, adjust, and spoon all over, especially on roasted, grilled, and braised meats, grilled vegetables, beans, toast even.

Fried Herbs

• Cooking oil, vegetable or olive
• Leaves from 1 bunch rosemary, sage, or savory (or a mixture), patted dry if necessary to avoid spits and splatters
• Salt

1. in a small saucepan or skillet, pour enough oil for the herbs, fried in a few batches, to swim around in, at least 3/4 inch. The oil won’t really be reusable for anything else, unfortunately, since frying herbs makes it bitter, so I try not to use too much. Heat the oil to 325° F or until it is shimmery, not smoking, and a leaf dropped in sizzles enthusiastically, but does not scare you out of the kitchen.
2. Fry a batch of herb leaves, and when the sizzling has nearly stopped, dip them out and onto paper to drain while you fry the next batch. Sprinkle them with salt and use them right away or refrigerate them, covered tightly; they’ll last at least a week.
3. * Extra fried herbs can be sprinkled over roasted, grilled, or braised meats; crumbled and tossed with boiled or roasted vegetables, or sprinkled over fried ones; floated on bowls of soup; mixed with fresh garlic and parsley for more salsa! (Fill in the blank with your variation.)