Chimichurri is a must-have weapon in your culinary arsenal. This wonderous sauce can transform and elevate any protein in a matter of minutes!
Chimichurri is much like a Gremolata, but with a bit of a different flavor profile, and is a wet sauce.
Traditional Chimichurri hails from Argentina and Uruguay and will contain vinegar and oil, with the addition of red pepper. Chimichurri is a little more assertive and acidic, therefore it is a very flavorful and tenderizing marinade or baste. It is also used for seasoning dry dishes and as a finishing sauce, particularly steak.
This powerhouse sauce is so simple and quick, and yes... you can stray from the traditional recipe and use other greens if you like as well as adjust the other ingredients to your personal taste.
One of my favorite ways to use Chimichurri is to mix up a batch, take a little out and use it to marinade shrimp to go along with a nice steak for surf & turf. As your steaks are resting, simply get your pan hot, remove the shrimp from the marinade with tongs and quickly sear them until they turn that lovely pinky-orange color that lets you know they're done. Top your steaks with a healthy spoonful of the Chimichurri and your shrimp, and you have a feast to remember!
Tip: As with Gremolata, the greens should be finely hand-chopped to prevent stringiness.
Small-Batch Recipe
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1 TBSP Red Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup Finely Chopped Flat-Leaf Parsley
1-2 Cloves Garlic, finely minced
½ Red Chili, finely chopped or 1 tsp Chili Flakes
1 tsp Finely Chopped Oregano (or 1/2 tsp dried)
½ tsp Kosher Salt
Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl.
Comments