This beautiful sunset-red sauce with flecks of green herbs turns pasta, vegetables, potatoes, or fish into a work of art. Leftover sauce keeps in the refrigerator for a week or two.

　　

Ingredients

yields 1 1/2 cups

　　1/2 cup olive oil

　　6 garlic cloves

　　1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

　　1 cup canned roasted red peppers (more or less is fine)

　　1 tablespoon lemon juice

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or basil (optional)

　　

Step 1

In a small skillet on medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic cloves and cook for about 3 minutes, until the garlic is golden. Remove from the heat.

　　

Step 2

In a blender on medium speed, purée the butter, roasted red peppers, lemon juice, and salt. Pour in the oil and garlic and whirl until smooth. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt if needed. If using dill or basil, stir it in by hand.

　　

Ingredient Note

Step 3

To make the sauce with fresh bell peppers, stem, seed, and chop a large red bell pepper or 2 medium ones and cook in the oil with the garlic until soft, 12 to 15 minutes. Whirl in a blender with the butter, lemon juice, and salt until smooth.

　　

Serving & menu ideas

Step 4

This sauce is excellent on pasta, such as penne or shells. For a beautiful color contrast, put 1 1/2 cups of frozen peas in with the cooking pasta a couple of minutes before you drain it. Use the sauce in place of the oil in Pasta with Olives Piquant (page 19). Stir some into polenta or ladle a bit over a side of steamed asparagus or broccoli.

　　From Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table. Copyright © 2017 by Moosewood Collective. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from ThriftBooks or Amazon.