It’s cool and a little foggy in Southampton this morning, but it doesn’t matter: it’s Memorial Day weekend, and come hell or high water, I’m firing up the grill. One of our favorite ways to eat grilled meat is with Chimichurri, a delicious and versatile sauce from Argentina that transforms simple meals of grilled meat into something special. It comes together quickly from common ingredients, and it keeps for months in the refrigerator (getting better with time), so you can pull it out whenever you need a quick South American boost for your grilling. I make it in big batches and use it all summer — and not just for meat. Eggs fried in Chimichurri is one of our favorite weekend breakfasts.
Though it’s a green, herbal sauce, don’t confuse Chimichurri with light, bright, summery salsas based on tomatoes or tomatillos. This condiment has a deep, almost pungent herbal flavor that stands up well to rich grilled meat without overwhelming it. If you’re planning ahead, it makes a great overnight marinade for beef or lamb, but it’s also excellent used on the fly, especially with a nice cut of beef: just baste the meat with the sauce right before you pull it off the fire and serve a little more on the side.
Chimichurris vary a lot from cook to cook, so feel free to experiment. For me, the key ingredients are fresh oregano, parsley, a chili of some kind, garlic, olive oil, and red wine or sherry vinegar. The following recipe is my current favorite variation.
Recipe
Ingredients
1 jalapeno
2 teaspoons tightly packed fresh oregano leaves (measure — it may be more than you’d guess)
2 teaspoons tightly packed fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon tightly packed fresh rosemary leaves
about 1 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 tablespoon tightly packed flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped shallot
2 bay leaves, crumbled
2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
juice of 1 lime
about 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. Char the jalapeno directly on the flame of a gas burner or under a broiler, turning until it’s blackened and fragrant.
2. Seed and mince the chili — don’t discard the blackened skin.
3. Very coarsely chop the oregano, thyme and rosemary.
4. Warm the oil in a small saucepan until it’s hot to the touch. Pull it off the heat and stir in all of the ingredients.
5. Leave to infuse for an hour or so at room temperature before serving or storing in the refrigerator.
