spring green sauce with yogurt & cilantro

I got a new shirt for my birthday and I wear it every week. I got new jeans for fun and I wear them every day. I fall hard for things and I stick with them. That’s what happened with me and this sauce.

It came via a recipe in the Wall St. Journal for turkey meatballs, which I made for a dinner party. The meatballs were duds, but the sauce saved the meal. Then one of the guests asked for the recipe so she could serve it with salmon. That got me thinking about what else it would go with, so I took a jug of it to a St. Patty’s celebration and we turned everything green – it went on the steak, the rice, the fish, the potatoes. People were even dipping bread into it. If there had been corned beef, we would have poured it on that. One person insisted she could drink it.

Which is appropriate because this is no harder to make than a smoothie. It lasts for days in the fridge and you can double or triple it. And you can customize it. If you’re not into raw garlic, leave it out (but boost the lemon and salt). If you don’t like cilantro, try a combo of dill, mint, and basil — or one or two of those herbs. As with all recipes, taste this as you make it and adjust what it needs. A little more salt, a little more lemon, a little more (or less) garlic or cilantro. It’s about balance.

Now I’m going to make this all the time to serve with salmon, poached chicken, or any grilled meat or fish. Or with asparagus. Or cauliflower. Or broccoli. There’s way more potential for variety here than there is with my wardrobe.

1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 jalapeño, seeded and roughly chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves and stems
1 clove peeled garlic, optional
kosher salt

Combine yogurt, jalapeño, lemon juice, cilantro and garlic (if using) in a blender or food processor. Sprinkle in a hefty pinch of salt. Puree until blended. Serve, or store for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Serve with salmon, chicken, grilled steaks and chops, potatoes, asparagus…even turkey meatballs.