Skip to main content

Salmoriglio

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.

Recipe information

  • Yield

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

Ingredients

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

Preparation

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Step 4

    Very good with Poached Veal Tongue (page 360).

  4. 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.
Read More
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
This one-pot dinner cooks chicken thighs directly on top of a bed of flavorful cilantro rice studded with black beans for a complete dinner.
Put that half-full tub to use with recipes that go beyond the Italian American classics.
Like Sri Lankan cashew curry and vegan stuffed shells.
Glossy, intensely chocolaty, and spiked with coffee and sour cream, this Bundt is the ultimate all-purpose dessert.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Use this simple vinaigrette to dress a plate of greens, some steamed potatoes, or anything else that strikes your fancy.