A Simple Sauce

Straight To The Point

Illustration by Catherine Brooks

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Every time I grill steak or pork I put a little pot of this sauce on the table. To call it a sauce feels grandiose, and as you read the recipe below, you may wonder why I’ve bothered to write on the topic.

But I assure you this sauce (or dressing, or drizzle, or whatever it is) is divine. It allows red meat to take center stage while adding subtle depth of flavor.

Just one note: you must use good olive oil here. Freshness matters most; the polyphenols that give olive oil its flavor begin degrading the moment the olives are pressed.

European olive oil is too heavy for planes, and is instead sent to America via very slow ships. Upon arrival, it sits in a customs warehouse waiting for clearance. Once cleared, it moves to a grocery store warehouse, where it sits again, waiting to be shelved. With every second that passes during that process, it loses its potency.

Thus, in America, California olive oil is often better than the overseas stuff. Look for a production date on the bottle; you want something made last October, which is when the most recent olive harvest was pressed.

Olive Oil, Rosemary, and Salt

Ingredients:

• Olive oil

• Rosemary

• Salt

Instructions:

1. Take several sprigs of fresh rosemary, fold them in half, and wake them up with a good squeeze. Be firm; the compression will release their essential oils, rendering them more flavorsome. You’ll know you’ve applied enough pressure when your kitchen smells like fresh herbs.

2. Put the bruised rosemary sprigs in a small bowl or pot. Add a generous pinch of salt and pour in good olive oil, until it covers most of the rosemary.

3. Let the mixture sit for at least an hour so the flavors infuse.

4. Serve with red meat, grilled pork, or potatoes, or toss through pasta alongside pepper flakes and a bit of grated hard cheese.