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Thick Marjoram Sauce with Capers and Green Olives

(recipe, Deborah Madison)

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Introduction

This recipe was adapted from Vegetable Literacy.

Ingredients

1. 1 slice country bread, crusts trimmed
2. 2 Tbsp. aged red-wine vinegar
3. 1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
4. Sea salt
5. ⅓ cup fresh marjoram leaves
6. 3 Tbsp. capers, drained
7. ½ cup pine nuts or walnuts
8. 1 cup finely chopped parsley
9. 10 pitted green olives
10. ½ cup olive oil
11. Freshly ground pepper

Steps

1. Put the bread on a plate and sprinkle the vinegar over it.
2. Pound the garlic with ½ teaspoon salt in a mortar until smooth, then work in the marjoram, capers, nuts, parsley, and olives. Pound until you have a coarse purée. (Alternatively, you can do this in a food processor.)
3. Add the bread and the olive oil and work until the sauce is well amalgamated. Season with pepper, taste for vinegar, and add a little more if you think it needs it. The sauce should be very thick.