Bread Dipping Sauce
The first time I made this was to keep guests snacking while we prepared the first course We almost didnt make it any farther in the meal as it is SO good
The first time I made this was to keep guests snacking while we prepared the first course We almost didnt make it any farther in the meal as it is SO good
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced basil
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (italian best), minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
- 1/2 cup olive oil (orig. recipe called for 1/2 t. but that has to be a typo)
- 1/8 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Carbohydrate 4.44255222115633 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 27.3174280767565 g
- Fiber 1.33896018652196 g
- Protein 0.958843221180504 g
- Saturated Fat 3.80493490803711 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (46g)
- Sodium 586.505525478469 mg
- Sugar 3.10359203463437 g
- Trans Fat 0.788421445876721 g
- Calories 259 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine all except oil and lemon juice in a small food processor or coffee bean grinder.
- Chop briefly until all about the same size.
- Stir in olive oil and lemon juice.
- To serve, combine about 1 1/2 t.
- herb mixture to 3-4 T olive oil mixture on a small dish.
- Dip sliced bread in mixture.
- Makes 1/4 c. of herb mixture.
Dried herbs and fresh aromatics behave differently when submerged in fat, requiring a brief mechanical breakdown to release their trapped essential oils before hydration. Passing the dried oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes through a spice grinder fractures their cell walls, creating a uniform grind that disperses evenly through the olive oil rather than floating as harsh, dry particles. This preliminary chopping step prevents large botanical fragments from dominating the texture while allowing fat-soluble flavor compounds to begin dissolving into the oil phase immediately.
Allowing the blended herb mixture to rest at room temperature for at least thirty minutes before serving encourages the garlic enzymes and dried herb compounds to thoroughly infuse the surrounding lipid medium. Olive oil acts as a flavor carrier, but high-quality extra virgin oils contain natural bitterness and pepperiness that balance the sharp pungency of raw garlic and fresh minced rosemary. A tiny addition of lemon juice introduces citric acid, which subtly brightens the heavy fat profile without destabilizing the emulsion.
When portioning for service, maintain a ratio of approximately one and a half teaspoons of the concentrated herb sediment to three or four tablespoons of oil on each individual plate. Using a shallow ceramic dish ensures guests can easily sweep through both the oily surface layer and the flavorful sediment resting at the bottom. Crusty sourdough or rustic baguettes with open crumb structures absorb the seasoned oil cleanly without releasing excessive starch crumbs back into the dip.
Store any leftover herb paste in an airtight glass jar in the refrigerator for up to five days, though the fresh garlic flavor will sharpen significantly past the forty-eight-hour mark. Bring refrigerated mixtures back to room temperature before serving so the olive oil completely liquefies and releases its aromatic volatiles.
