Italian Style Salsa Verde

This is a wonderfully versatile Italian Style Salsa Verde!  It’s packed with tons of flavor from the mix of herbs, capers and shallots.

 Robby and I use to frequent an Italian restaurant in Aptos called Barolo where they served bread with a similar version of this dipping sauce.   It was so good that I could never get enough of it, so I decided to make my own version.

This dipping sauce can be served with fresh-baked bread, tossed with pasta, drizzled on roasted or baked potatoes, tossed with roasted vegetables or used as a salad dressing (add a little more vinegar).  You can also serve it alongside a cheese and fruit platter.  Get creative with this dipping sauce by adding and/or subtracting ingredients of your choice.  What would you use it on?

This salsa pairs nicely with a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc or an Albarino.  It would also go with a Chardonnay, Pino Gris, Pino Noir, or Beaujolais.

Health Benefits:

 Italian Parsley has an excellent source of vitamins C and A. The Vitamin A in parsley supports the tissues that line your lungs and promotes eye health.  And the C protects your retinas from the sun that causes free-radical damage. It is rich in lutein, which is an antioxidant that protects against macular degeneration. It is a good source of folic acid that is great for cardiovascular health. It is one of the richest herb sources of vitamin K making parsley great for your bones. The iron in parsley helps get rid of carbon dioxide and brings oxygen to your tissues.  It is an excellent blood purifier with its high chlorophyll content and a good remedy for lung infection or asthma. It is also rich in antioxidants and a good source of potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, and magnesium.

Fresh Basil has anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.  The herb contains exceptionally high levels of beta-carotene and vitamin A and is rich in zeaxanthin an anti-oxidant that helps protect age-related macular disease.  It has a good amount of Iron and also helps to detoxify the liver.  It contains phytochemicals that may lower cortisol, a hormone secreted when you’re stressed that causes weight gain, so add some fresh basil to your water or tea.

Mint activates the salivary glands just by the aroma alone, which helps promote digestion. It relaxing the muscular lining of the digestive tract and improves the flow of bile through the stomach and soothes the stomach, indigestion, inflammation, abdominal pain, nausea and discomfort associated with IBS.People who suffer from allergies and asthma can benefit from regular use because it is a relaxant and relieves congestion. Mint contains potent antioxidants that decrease levels of free radicals that can cause damage to cells.  It is an excellent source of potassium, calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium.

Chives like garlic, scallions, leeks and onions contain allicin that helps lower blood pressure and manage cholesterol by reducing LDL levels and increasing your HDL levels.  They contain many antioxidants that help destroy free radicals and inhibit the growth of cancerous cells and tumors.  Chives help your body produce glutathione, which helps your body to identify toxins and other cancer-causing substances and eliminate them. They help your digestive track by eliminating bacteria, yeast and fungi.  It is a rich source of vitamin K that maintains bone mineral density. They are high in vitamin C that is great for the skin and are also a natural antibacterial and antiviral that destroy harmful microbes.