Build-Your-Own Chimichurri

 

This recipe will save any dish that goes wrong in your kitchen. 

It’s a game changer.   

I’m talkin’ about a flavor-packed meal in the blink of an eye. With this sauce you can transform just about anything. Trust me, people will be asking for seconds. 

I’ve been making chimichurri for many years now. My husband fell in love with chimichurri long before he met me because he spent some time in Brazil. Together, years later, we dined at a famous Argentinian steak house in Chicago, called Tango Sur (white tablecloth, Argentinian staff, no reservations, and BYOB!). Tango Sur serves up steaks the size of the dinner plate, and along-side is a bowl of this glorious tangy garlicky sauce: Chimichurri. 

Thank you Argentina, for bringing this to the American table. 

 

 

So what is Chimichurri? 

 

Basically, Chimichurri is like a vinegary pesto, without the cheese or nuts. It is herbs, fresh and dried, with garlic, vinegar, plenty of oil, water, sometimes lime, and peppers, onions, and spices.

What do I serve it with?  

Almost ANYTHING. This stuff is like money in the bank. It will last in your fridge for weeks, and kick all your dishes up about ten notches. Try it with any seafood, any meat, and as a dip or salad dressing. Saute shrimp and greens in this sauce, or just pour it over the finished product. One of my favorite things to do with chimichurri is a quick tomato salad – especially when I am serving something with chimichurri already – putting it in the salad dressing just ties the whole meal together. And it’s so fast and easy!  

I made this recipe BUILD-YOUR-OWN because you can truly customize it to your liking. I love making chimichurri with Cilantro…but honestly? That’s not really chimichurri. The authentic version would not use cilantro. BUT WE LOVE IT!  It’s fun to combine cilantro and parsley in different quantities. And it’s great to be able to swap out ingredients according to what you already have on hand! 

The best part is there are two ways to actually make this. You can do it by hand, chopping everything real fine, just like they would in an Argentinian kitchen; or you can use a food processor like we do in the modern world because we like everything to be FAST AND EASY! Am I wrong? 

 

I would like to take a moment to send a shout out to the Italian man who started The Slow Movement,  in 1986. From the farming of the food, to the preparation in our homes, to the time we finish eating; food should be cherished. Time should nearly stand still. 

Food is a wonderful thing, especially when it’s made with your own two hands.  

Go on and rock this recipe out whichever way you’d like. Don’t be afraid to try new things, ask questions, and taste as you go! And look at my notes at the bottom of the recipe for some great ideas for serving and storing this sauce! 

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