It's Beckett's Grandpa's birthday this weekend so the three of us decided to have him and Beckett's Grandma out for a BBQ. BBQ is obviously a winner all by itself (we're big fans in our house) but moreso, BBQ is a great excuse to try something new. Usually I like to experiment with a new cut of meat or a new rub or marinade, but today I decided to go with a new sauce for our steaks. I say new but it's really a case of an old favourite that I haven't made in ages.
When it comes to dressing a steak there are a lot of ways you can go: Garlic Butter, Pepper Sauce, Salsa Verde, Mushroom Sauce, Red Wine Sauce, etc. etc. the list goes on. In my opinion, however, there is one accompaniment to steak that surpasses all others... Chimichurri Sauce.
Chimichurri originally comes from the Rio de la Plata, Argentina. The theory for the name of the sauce comes from the Basque settlers that arrived in Argentina in the 19th century. According to this theory, the name of the sauce comes from the Basque term tximitxurri, loosely translated as "a mixture of several things in no particular order". As such, Chimichurri can be made from finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano and white or red wine vinegar with additional flavorings then added such as paprika, cumin, thyme, lemon, basil, coriander or bay leaf. It is also common to find a red version in which tomato and red bell pepper are added.
Personally I like my Chimichurri to have a sharp kick with a warm garlic follow through. The whole thing is then rounded out with coriander, parsley and oregano. That's just me though. Feel free to fiddle around with the proportions and add any additional flavours that you like. At the end of the day, Chimichurri is a very personal thing - make it your own!
Christian's Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 jalapeño chile, finely chopped
1/2 cup minced fresh coriander
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh oregano
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation
Combine vinegar, salt, garlic, shallot, and chile in a medium bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in coriander, parsley, and oregano. Using a fork, whisk in oil.
That's it. Ready to go. A super simple sauce that is bursting with flavour. Of course, it's not just a sauce. If you fancy using your Chimichurri as a marinade, just place your steak in a glass bowl, cover with the Chimichurri and chill for at least 3 hours or overnight. When you want to cook your steak just pat it dry and place directly onto a hot skillet or BBQ grill.
Either way, whether it's a sauce, marinade or both, you won't be disappointed!
No comments:
Post a Comment