Traditional Chimichurri

This traditional sauce from Argentina and Uruguay has been widely adopted across Latin America, and has made it to many American restaurants and store shelves as well.  It has an irresistible fresh, herbaceous, citrussy taste with just a little bit of spice!  Best of all, it can be made with many of the items you grow in your indoor garden, including parsley, oregano and red chilies.

Traditionally, chimichurri is most often used with meat, either as a condiment, basted onto meat as it’s cooked, placed on the meat after being cooked and while it is resting, or as an outstanding marinade.  It can be used on steak, chicken, sausages or fish.  It’s also a delicious addition to tacos!

Prep Time: approx. 10 Minutes. Ready in: 20 Minutes

Makes approximately 2 cups.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup finely chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh oregano leaves
• 1-2, small fresh red chilies. Use other hot peppers, or crushed red peppers, if preferred.
• 2-4 cloves of garlic (finely chop or grind with mortar and pestle)
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (substitute with lemon juice if preferred)
• ~1 teaspoon coarse salt
• ~1/2 teaspoon pepper

(Bunching onions and lime or other popular additions to chimichurri sauce)

The rest is simple! 

Leave your salt, pepper and olive oil to the side.

Finely chop the rest of your ingredients, or mix them together in a food processor for a smooth chimichurri sauce.  Finely chopped ingredients will create a more traditional chimichurri sauce with just a little bit more work, but time is also precious. 

Add ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and use salt and pepper to taste.

That’s it.  Serve your chimichurri cold or at room temperature.  You’ve just created a new sauce or marinade that’s gonna knock your socks off!

Let’s grow together!