Chimichurri

November 8, 2013

Chimichurri - kvalifood.com

Chimichurri is an Argentine raw herb sauce built on parsley, garlic, oregano, red wine vinegar, and oil. It is the standard accompaniment to grilled beef. The sauce improves significantly after resting overnight.

Makes ca. 250 ml (1 cup)

Ingredients

40 g fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves (ca. 20 g), minced
2 tbsp dried oregano
120 ml extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar (45 ml)
1 tbsp red chili flakes (or 1 small fresh red chili, minced, deseeded)
1 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Finely chop the parsley leaves. Discard stems.
Mince the garlic.
Combine parsley, garlic, oregano, and chili flakes in a bowl.
Add vinegar and stir.
Pour in olive oil and mix thoroughly.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, ideally overnight.

Notes

Rest time matters. The dried oregano and chili flakes hydrate in the oil and vinegar.
Olive oil is the modern standard. Sunflower oil is more historically Argentine.
Add 1 tsp sweet paprika for a more traditional Argentine version.
Best within 48 hours. Keep refrigerated.