Chimichurri Argentinian Sauce

Chimichurri is one of most delicious and versatile sauces around. It's Argentinean in origin and traditionally served with grilled steak, as well as being an essential part of the Argentinian Parilla BBQ. Chimichurri also works well as a marinade for all sorts of meats and vegetables (like potatoes). 


Put simply, Chimichurri is a parsley, garlic, and oil based sauce served with beef, and all recipies will have these ingredients. However, each recipe I have come across varies these proportions a little as well as adding others sich as pepper flakes or oregano. You will quickly develop your own proportions depending on what flavours you want to accentuate (Jamie Oliver adds tomatoes to his recipe). This is an opportunity to use your best olive oil since the sauce isn’t cooked, and the olive oil flavor is going to be prominent.

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh parsley (approx 2 cups) minced in food processor.

3-6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp onion, minced

1 cup olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves (optional)
1 tsp red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Method:
Use a food processor to mince the parsely, garlic and onion separately.
Add together in a serving bowl and mix in the other ingredients.

Note: consider trying apple cider vinegar, red wine or sherry vinegar, or lemon infused olive oil.

Adding the liquids outside of the blender gives the chimichurri the correct texture. You don't want the herbs to be completely puréed, just finely chopped, and you dont want to emulsify the oil so its frothy.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
 
Serve with any BBQ meat. Suggestion: Slow roast a boned and butterflied leg of lamb at 170C for 1 hour covered, then sear on BBQ to caramelize and colour the meat. Rest covered for 10 mintues then slice and serve with Chimichurri.
 
We ate this sauce over the slow roasted lamb leg at the German and Argentinian Food and Soccer night.
 
¡Muy sabroso!