HISTORY & INTERESTING FACTS
There is something very old and very practical about the idea of a green sauce or dip.
Different cultures have arrived at their own versions: Greek tzatziki, Italian salsa verde and Indian green chutney are all quite different, but they share a similar logic — take a handful of fresh ingredients, add something sharp, something creamy or oily, and make them stretch further than they otherwise might.
That same thinking sits behind Versatile Verde Dip.
Spinach and silverbeet are close relatives in the Amaranthaceae family, alongside beetroot, quinoa and amaranth. Kale is botanically different — it belongs to the brassica family — but in the kitchen they can all play much the same role.
Across Mediterranean kitchens, leafy greens and herbs have long been used according to what was in season and what was abundant: folded into pies, dressed with olive oil and lemon, cooked with garlic, or turned into sauces and accompaniments.
That feels very familiar at Weathercraft.
At the end of winter and beginning of spring, the garden can suddenly produce more greens than we know what to do with. Spinach is usually where I start, but silverbeet, kale or a mixture all work beautifully. Then I add whatever herbs are thriving — parsley, chives, marjoram, chervil, even the tender tops from young garlic.
The point is not to follow it too obediently.
Use what is in glut. Use the tender stems rather than automatically throwing them away. Use the herbs that need cutting back.
The result changes slightly each time, which is rather the point.
It begins as a dip, but loosen it with a little pasta water and it becomes a sauce; spoon it over spring vegetables, serve it with roast chicken or grilled fish, or put it beside a savoury pie.
A few garden ingredients. Quite a few useful lives.
Bon profit!
Raquel x
INGREDIENTS
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for serving
- 5 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 1 leek, white and pale green part only, finely sliced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 250 g leafy greens — spinach, silverbeet, kale or a mixture
- 1 generous handful flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 150 g thick plain yoghurt or Greek yoghurt
- 80 g pine nuts, toasted
- 1/2 lemon, juice only
- Warm flatbread, to serve
METHOD
- Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and leek with a small pinch of salt and cook gently for around 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned.
- Add the cumin and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant.
- If using silverbeet or kale, remove any genuinely tough stalks. Finely slice the tender stems and add them first, cooking for 2–3 minutes before adding the leaves. Add the spinach, silverbeet or kale leaves and cook only until wilted — spinach will take around 2 minutes; sturdier greens a little longer. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Transfer the greens mixture to a food processor with the parsley and pulse until roughly chopped. Keep some texture rather than blending it completely smooth.
- Transfer to a bowl and stir through the yoghurt, half the toasted pine nuts, lemon juice and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon into a shallow serving bowl. Finish with the remaining pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil.
RECIPE VARIATIONS
Spinach + parsley:
The softest, freshest version and the place I usually start.
Silverbeet + parsley + chives:
Slightly more savoury. Finely slice the tender silverbeet stems and cook them with the leek rather than throwing them away.
Spinach + chervil + chives:
A delicate early-spring variation. Add the chervil after the cooked greens have cooled so its flavour stays fresh.
Kale + parsley + marjoram:
Deeper and more robust. Remove tough kale stems, cook the leaves a little longer and add the marjoram sparingly so it does not take over.
Tender garlic tops:
If you have young, soft garlic greens or sprout tops, slice them finely and use them with the parsley or chives. Reduce the garlic cloves to 2–3 so the allium flavour stays fresh rather than becoming dominant.
TIPS, CHEATS & TROUBLESHOOTING
If using frozen greens:
Thaw completely and squeeze out as much water as possible before adding them to the pan.
If using sturdier greens:
Kale and mature silverbeet need a little longer than spinach. Remove the stems firstly, then add the leaves.
If the dip is too thick:
Loosen with a spoonful of yoghurt, olive oil or warm water. If turning it into a pasta sauce, use some of the pasta cooking water.
If serving with vegetables:
Loosen it slightly and spoon it over steamed green beans, peas or asparagus while they are still warm.
WINE MATCHING & SERVING SUGGESTIONS
With yoghurt, lemon and fresh herbs, my first picks are Amphora Blanco and Barrel Fermented Albariño. Both have the freshness and texture to sit comfortably alongside the creamy dip, greens and warm spices.
If it becomes part of a larger meal — roast chicken, potatoes, grilled vegetables or warm flatbread — I would be equally happy opening our Chardonnay or Barrel Fermented Pinot Gris.
