At this time of year, fresh herbs are growing everywhere, and large bags of zucchini, tomatoes, and other fresh vegetables continue to appear in the coffee room at work or maybe on your front steps, seemingly from out of nowhere. So even if you don’t keep a garden of your own, this is a great time of year to whip up a batch of an herb sauce that will channel the magical properties of those gorgeous vegetables. Not to mention that it will increase the likelihood that you and your lucky friends and family will eat more of the nourishing and colorful phytonutrients hiding inside all those beautiful vegetables, especially the phytonutrients in the herbs and other deeply colored green leafy veggies. 

You will notice that this recipe includes anchovies in the ingredient list. These are optional for cooks who are looking to add the depth of a strong umami source to their sauce. If, however, you are making a vegan sauce, feel free either to omit the anchovies altogether, or to experiment with using a few squares of kombu seaweed instead. And if you have limes in your fridge, but no lemons, don’t hesitate for even one second to use those instead.

1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt (dairy or coconut-based)
1 cup packed herbs (any combo of tarragon, parsley, mint, basil, dill, sage)
2 scallions (both green and white parts, in pieces)
1/4 cup tahini
2 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice (more to taste)
1 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and patted dry
2 medium-sized cloves of garlic (peeled)
3/4 tsp. Kosher salt (more to taste)
2 small squares of kombu seaweed (soaked in a small amount of water for 15 min, and then mashed well with mortar & pestle) OR 2-3 anchovy fillets
1 pinch cayenne pepper (scant or generous, depending on your own preference)
Warm water

Mix together all the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and blend until smooth. Keep in mind that it may thicken up a bit after a while, in which case you can stir in a teaspoon or two (or slightly more) of warm water to make it a little more drippy. 

This sauce will keep refrigerated for up to one week.

Thank you to David Lebovitz and Susan Spungen for prior versions of this recipe.