What can I say about chimichurri? It’s delicious. Versatile. Easy to make. Check. Check. Check.
Chimichurri is like pesto’s zestier, lighter, Latin cousin. It’s an Argentinian sauce that is traditionally served with grilled meat. I think you can use it on anything. Eggs. Pasta. Fish. Bruschetta topping. Use it as a salad dressing base. It would make a good dip mixed with some sour cream and mayonnaise — heck, skip the dairy and just scoop it up on its own with a chip.
It was even my secret weapon served as a condiment in this year’s chili contest — while I think my chili was great, I’m pretty sure the chimichurri sauce put a seal on my first-place finish.
While this is hardly *my* creation, I’ve never actually followed any sort of recipe while making it. This is how I throw it together.
Chimichurri
1 small bunch cilantro
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
1/4 small red onion
2-3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
optional, pinch red pepper flakes
Toss the cilantro, parsley, onion, garlic, and vinegar into a food processor. Pulse a few times to chop everything up. Add the olive oil and whiz until everything is finely chopped and it’s a relatively smooth sauce (it will look pesto-ish.) Season with salt and pepper until it tastes good to you. Add the red pepper flakes if you’re feeling spicy.
Chimichurri served over eggs and potato cakes.