The Frankfurt Green Sauce or the „Grie Soß“ in Hessian dialect
The Green Sauce is one of the delicacies the Hesse city of Frankfurt is famous for. A story goes that the German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe loved this sauce so much that he had to have it made by his mother Aja and delivered by a coach to Weimar.
In 1810 Goethe published his "Theory of Colors" in which green was considered to be a "useful" color. Goethe believed that green was a color that could pacify the mind. It was the best color to use for walls in rooms one spent the most time since green color invited one to stay.
The "usefulness" of green color might have extended to Goethe's dietary predilections, but we might never find out whether this was true.
The term "green sauce" pertains to a variety of sauces made mostly with green herbs. It is believed that the condiment originated somewhere in the Levant and was most probably introduced to Europe by the Romans some 2,000 years ago.
The Italian version of the green sauce was introduced to Germany in 1730s by the Italian merchant family of Bolongaro. Some culinary historians believe that the sauce recipe arrived from France with the Huguenots who settled down in the Electorate of Hesse-Kassel in the 18th century.
The Frankfurt version of the sauce was first published in 1856 in a recipe book written by Miss Wilhelmine Rührig. She used eggs, olive oil, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, and six herbs: tarragon, chives, chervil, parsley, borage and salad burnet.
There are many modern versions of the Frankfurt green sauce using six or seven different herbs. Traditionally the sauce was made of fresh herbs that may vary depending on season. Hard-boiled eggs, crème fraîche or sour cream, olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sometimes mustard or mayonnaise, complete the recipe. Some people add gherkins, shallots and garlic, and use soft ricotta cheese to make the sauce more nutritious.
I made my own version of this delicious condiment. You are welcome to try it. I used fresh chives, chervil, sorrel, borage, parsley, garden cress, ramps, and salad burnet. You may also add lovage, lemon balm, dandelion greens, arugula, watercress, dill, or tarragon.
Ingredients
- 4-5 cups roughly chopped fresh herbs
- 4 hard-boiled organic eggs
- 1 cup Crème fraîche, sour cream or probiotic yogurt
- 1/2 cup virgin olive oil
- freshly pressed juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Method:
- In a food processor pulse blend the herbs until you receive an almost creamy, but not watery, consistence. Transfer pureed herbs into a mixing bowl.
- Cut hard-boiled eggs into halves and remove egg yolks. Pass egg yolks through a sieve and add them to the mixing bowl.
- Add Crème fraîche, (sour cream or yogurt) olive oil, lemon juice, and mustard. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
- Chop egg whites and gently incorporate them into the sauce.
- Add salt and pepper. Mix again. Ready!
Serve with roasted meet, beef brisket, hard boiled eggs, or boiled young potatoes. Enjoy in good company with a glass of German Riesling!
This sauce also tastes well on vegetarian burgers, on sliced avocado and as a salad dressing with tossed leafy greens.
This sauce also tastes well on vegetarian burgers, on sliced avocado and as a salad dressing with tossed leafy greens.
By Dominique Teng
The famous Frankfurt Green Sauce
Dominique Teng©2015