If you have not tried Chimichurri, you must!
Origninating in Argentina, this easy sauce can be whipped together in minutes and can truly take a plain steak or chicken breast to a whole new level of wonderful! Easy, quick, delicious - those qualities should be enough to lure a cook like me in - but the flavor combination just can't be described to do it justice! Grilled meats are rarely served without a side of chimichurri in Argentina and many compare this to a salsa, pesto or curry. It has a flavor combination unlike anything I had ever tasted prior and I am left craving this anytime I plan to grill steaks now.
About five years ago, the Hubs and his parents, who were visiting, constructed an herb garden for me for Mother's Day and I tell you, it has been one of those gifts that keeps on giving!
The bush attracts honey bees,which I love, and serves as a handy source of fresh herbs year-round, which in our neck of the woods is a special treat.
The hardy herbs with the wood-like stems seem to survive the seasonal climate changes but my dear basil, cilantro and parsley don't always weather the storms as well. Each spring I plant a cilantro, basil and parsley plant to ensure I have the trappings for ingredients found in recipes like this one.
Chimichurri
Ingredients:
1 cup of packed fresh parsley, (I used flat-leaf but you can use any style), trimmed of thick stems
1 bunch of cilantro (enough to hold in your hand if you are picking your own)
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of fresh oregano leaves (or you can use 2 teaspoons of dried oregano)
3 tablespoons of olive oil (you can add up to 1/2 cup of olive oil if you like your sauce to be more runny but I prefer a thicker sauce with less oil)
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon - 1 teaspoon of sea salt (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon - 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper (to taste)
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (now if you prefer spicier, feel free to add more of this to taste to give it more of a spicy kick)
Instructions:
1. Put your parsley, cilantro, oregano, and garlic into a food processor and process for several pulses unitl finely chopped. (You could also put this into your blender or even finely chop by hand.)
2. Add in the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Adjust your seasonings to taste.
3. Let flavors marry for at least 10 minutes prior to serving. If you are not serving immediately, refrigerate but if chilled, let it return to room temperature prior to serving. This will save for at least two days.
Serve over steak, chicken, fish, steamed vegetables - I even have been known to dip crusty bread into this delicious flavor combination.
