Makes 1 cup

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Lemon balm is a fragrant green herb, available in some farmers markets this time of year, and rampant in my garden. I don’t remember ever planting this herb, and while I treated it like a weed for sometime, I know mine it like gold. It is an unexpected herbal hint to green salads, and in this salsa verde recipe, it adds a floral note that’s hard to put your finger on. You can use regular lemons in the place of Meyer lemons if you can’t find them, but the Meyer lemon echoes that aromatic quality of the lemon balm in a subtle, and pleasing way.

• 1 cup basil leaves, loosely packed
• 3 tbsp minced chives
• 3 tbsp minced lemon balm leaves
• 1 tbsp minced mint
• Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
• Juice ½ Meyer lemon
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 very small clove garlic (or ½ normal clove)
• Black pepper
• ¼ tsp sumac
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Roughly chop basil leaves and add to a small mixing bowl with chives, lemon balm, and mint. Add the zest of one Meyer lemon, the juice of one half of the lemon and the salt. Using a microplane, grate the garlic into the bowl. Add the sumac, olive oil, and black pepper to taste. Mix to combine. Salsa verde can remain in your fridge for up to two weeks.