Green Gold – Chimichurri
After noting that I often serve empanadas with a bowl of chimichurri on the side, several readers asked for the recipe for this fresh, uncooked, herb-based sauce. It also goes beautifully as a marinade or finishing sauce on grilled steak, chicken, or fish.
I love being able to walk out into my garden during spring, summer, and fall to pick fresh herbs for cooking. Since parsley grows so abundantly, and there is always oregano, chimichurri takes no time to make with just a moment’s notice.
Chimichurri
There are a lot of variations on chimichurri. Some include onions or shallots, and others use cilantro as the main flavor. There is even a red version with tomato and red pepper. I prefer mine in which parsley and garlic are the dominant flavors.
Makes about 1½ cups, 10 minutes
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano or ¾ tsp. dried
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper, or more to taste
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, roughly chopped
¼ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¾ cup olive oil
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend to a smooth puree.
- Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Use as a marinade for meats, chicken or fish, or serve as a sauce after these meats are grilled or with empanadas.
