DiningBuzz! - Chimichuri

I made chimichuri today. It wasn't half bad! Just some olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and spices. The recipe called for an onion too, but I didn't have one. It seems like one of those things that can take a lot of variation in the recipe.

HOw do you like to make it?

I thought very, very finely minced parsley in olive oil was the main ingredient with garlic, red pepper and salt. No vinegar.

I make mine from finely chopped fresh oregano, fresh thyme if I have it...usually dies on me, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Some people here put basil in it as well.

I tried chimichuri several times at Chimichuri Grill in NY. Its small but classic. Exceptional flavor with beef sauce and chimichuri sauce. If you like scared animal flesh, its very consistent place with excellent steaks and fabulous sauces.

I thought very, very finely minced parsley in olive oil was the main ingredient with garlic, red pepper and salt. No vinegar.

That is the preparation I had the other day. It was served with fried calamari.
Delicious.

I just started making it in the blender this year. Serve it over grilled, sliced steak. Mmmmmmmm

Seems like Chimichurri is somewhat like a Garam Masala, in that the ingredients can vary by family, region, availability of ingredients. I'd say find one that best suits your palate by refining it.

The advice I will give is to use flat leaf (Italian) parsley over the curly Domestic kind. Also, if you do use parsley or basil, blanch and shock the leaves so that your sauce retains a nice lively green shade, as opposed to a dull dark green.

Blanching and/or using the blender or Cuisineart doesn't produce as good taste and texture in chimichurri as parsley minced with a chef's knife. Minced parsley tastes better, has the right texture, and doesn't get brown before you can serve dinner. On the other hand, pesto with basil made in a blender turns out fine.

Blanching and/or using the blender or Cuisineart doesn't produce as good taste and texture in chimichurri as parsley minced with a chef's knife. Minced parsley tastes better, has the right texture, and doesn't get brown before you can serve dinner. On the other hand, pesto with basil made in a blender turns out fine.

Ditto mincing, especially using Italian "Flat leaf" instead of the cute but bland "Curly" variety. I suspect that the classic South American versions likewise may omit vinegar, but I like a squeeze of fresh lime juice in mine...

Ditto mincing, especially using Italian "Flat leaf" instead of the cute but bland "Curly" variety. I suspect that the classic South American versions likewise may omit vinegar, but I like a squeeze of fresh lime juice in mine...

I forgot to mention the parsley. I also know some people who add a touch of mayonnaise to theirs. Also the guy who owns the parrilla where we sometimes get a cooked chicken from uses a secret formula....he wouldn't tell me what he put in it when I asked him although there is definitely some lemon in there.

A lot of the chimichuri here is made from dry ready mixed stuff which you just add some vinegar and oil.