Chef Graziella
Agrodolce alla Siciliana
The sweet-sour sauce that proves Sicily is where East meets West, where Arab traders left their mark on Italian cooking. A syrup of vinegar and honey, studded with pine nuts and raisins.
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Salmoriglio Siciliano
Created by
The ancestral Sicilian sauce of fishermen and home cooks, nothing more than olive oil, lemon, oregano, and the wisdom to leave everything else out. This is what grilled swordfish has always demanded.
Sauces & Condiments
Italian, Sicilian
BBQ
Outdoor Dining
Quick Meal
10 min
Active Time
0 min cook•10 min total
YieldAbout 3/4 cup (enough for 2 pounds fish or meat)
Salmoriglio is the sauce that Sicilian fishermen have made for their catch since before anyone thought to write recipes down. It requires four ingredients and the restraint to use nothing else. No vinegar. No capers. No anchovies. Those belong to other sauces.
The technique matters more than the ingredients, simple as they are. You must emulsify the oil and lemon juice with warm water, whisking until the mixture becomes one thing rather than two liquids refusing to cooperate. The garlic is crushed, never minced, so it perfumes the sauce without leaving harsh pieces that burn on the grill.
I learned to make this watching an old woman in Messina brush it onto swordfish steaks with a bundle of oregano branches tied together. She used the herb itself as her brush. The oregano left traces of itself on the fish with every stroke. Simple does not mean careless. It means every gesture has purpose.
Salmoriglio predates written Sicilian cookery, its origins lost somewhere between Greek colonization and Arab influence on the island. The fishermen of the Strait of Messina, where swordfish have been hunted for millennia, developed this sauce specifically for their catch. The name likely derives from 'salamoia' (brine), though some scholars argue for Greek roots. What remains certain is that Sicilian swordfish and salmoriglio are inseparable.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
extra virgin olive oil
Quantity
1/2 cup
fresh lemon juice
Quantity
1/4 cup (about 2 lemons)
warm water
Quantity
2 tablespoons
garlic cloves
Quantity
2
crushed with the flat of a knife
fresh oregano leaves
Quantity
2 tablespoons
chopped
fine sea salt
Quantity
1/2 teaspoon
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly ground
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| extra virgin olive oil | 1/2 cup |
| fresh lemon juice | 1/4 cup (about 2 lemons) |
| warm water | 2 tablespoons |
| garlic clovescrushed with the flat of a knife | 2 |
| fresh oregano leaveschopped | 2 tablespoons |
| fine sea salt | 1/2 teaspoon |
| black pepperfreshly ground | to taste |
Equipment Needed
- •Medium mixing bowl
- •Whisk
- •Basting brush for grilling
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the garlic
Crush the garlic cloves firmly with the flat side of your knife. You want them bruised and split, not minced. The garlic will infuse its perfume into the sauce without leaving harsh bits. Place the crushed cloves in a small bowl and let them sit while you prepare the other ingredients. Patience here is rewarded.
If you mince the garlic, you will taste it too directly. Crushed garlic gives you the essence without the assault. This is the difference between cooking and merely combining ingredients. - 2
Combine lemon and water
In a medium bowl, combine the fresh lemon juice with the warm water. The water must be warm, not cold, not hot. This helps the emulsion form properly and tempers the acidity of the lemon. Whisk to combine.
- 3
Create the emulsion
Add the olive oil in a thin, steady stream while whisking constantly. The mixture should turn from transparent to slightly cloudy and thicken just enough to coat a spoon. This takes perhaps two minutes of whisking. You are creating an emulsion, not merely mixing liquids. The difference matters.
The emulsion will not be as stable as mayonnaise. It will separate if it sits. This is correct. You simply whisk again before using. Sicilian fishermen have done this for centuries without complaint. - 4
Add aromatics
Add the crushed garlic, chopped oregano, salt, and several grindings of black pepper. Whisk once more to distribute. Let the salmoriglio rest for at least 15 minutes before using. The flavors need time to become acquainted.
- 5
Use properly
Remove the garlic cloves before serving. Salmoriglio serves two purposes: brush it generously on fish or meat during the last minutes of grilling, and spoon more over the finished dish at the table. The heat transforms the first application; the freshness of the second provides contrast. Both are essential.
Chef Tips
- •Your olive oil must be excellent. It is half the sauce. Sicilian oil, if you can find it, brings the preparation full circle. A grassy, peppery oil from the island's interior is traditional.
- •Fresh oregano is ideal, but good dried Sicilian oregano (the wild mountain variety, not the dusty powder in jars) is traditional and acceptable. Use one tablespoon dried in place of two tablespoons fresh.
- •The sauce is correct for swordfish, tuna, sea bass, snapper, lamb chops, and chicken. It is not correct for delicate fish that cannot stand up to the lemon's acidity.
- •Make salmoriglio the day you intend to use it. It does not improve with age. The lemon becomes bitter, the oregano fades. This takes ten minutes. There is no excuse for making it ahead.
Advance Preparation
- •Salmoriglio should rest at least 15 minutes after mixing to allow the flavors to meld. It can sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
- •Do not refrigerate. Cold salmoriglio becomes thick and loses its brightness. Make it fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 35g)
Calories
165 calories
Total Fat
18 g
Saturated Fat
3 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
15 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
190 mg
Total Carbohydrates
1 g
Dietary Fiber
0 g
Sugars
0 g
Protein
0 g
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