Salmoriglio, a traditional sauce for seafood, is nothing more than a dressing of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, salt, peperoncino, and fresh parsley. There’s nothing to it—except remembering to make it ahead, so the garlic and pepper infuse the oil.

　　

Ingredients

makes a bit more than a cup, enough for saucing 8 or more main-course servings

　　1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

　　3 plump garlic cloves, thinly sliced

　　4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste

　　1/4 teaspoon salt, or more to taste

　　1/4 teaspoon peperoncino (hot red pepper flakes)

　　2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley

　　

Step 1

Put all the ingredients except the parsley into a bowl, stir together briefly, and let it steep for 1/2 hour to an hour, to develop flavor. Stir, and taste the sauce; add more salt or lemon juice if you like. Just before serving, add parsley and stir.

　　

Step 2

Serve the salmoriglio at room temperature; stir the sauce well to blend, and remove the garlic slices only if you wish to. Spoon over fish and other foods.

　　

Serving Ideas . . .

Step 3

A favorite of mine for grilled fish, like the Grilled Cod Steaks on page 302, or any grilled fish, chicken, or lamb.

　　

Step 4

Very good with Poached Veal Tongue (page 360).

　　

Step 5

A wonderful dressing for steamed vegetables or a green salad.

　　From Lidia's Family table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright (c) 2004 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Published by Knopf.Lidia Bastianich hosts the hugely popular PBS show, "Lidia's Italian-American kitchen" and owns restaurants in New York City, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Also the author of Lidia's Italian Table and Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen, she lives in Douglaston, New York. Jay Jacob's journalism has appeared in many national magazines.From the Trade Paperback edition.