November 23, 2021, 5:54 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Have you ever tried chimichurri from Argentina? We featured the green sauce in one of our episodes of “Who Beats the Geography Pro.” It pairs especially well with beef steaks and is enjoyed throughout South America. Interested? With our recipe, you can easily make chimichurri yourself.
Chimichurri from Argentina is a true all-rounder. The sauce goes well with practically anything that can be grilled, especially beef steaks. Depending on the recipe, chimichurri is served in either a green or red version. The sauce gets its color from the herbs used as a base. Therefore, chimichurri not only tastes spicy but ideally also very fresh.
By the way, in one of our episodes of “Who Beats the Geography Pro,” we had pilot Patrick Biedenkapp and quiz European champion Sebastian Klussmann taste chimichurri blindfolded. One of them didn’t recognize the specialty. Find out who it was in the video above!
The only important rule when preparing chimichurri is to allow enough time. Although the preparation itself doesn’t take long, the sauce should be made a day before consumption to allow the flavors to develop. And when the sauce is ready? It can be used to marinate meat or even fish, or enjoyed as a simple dip. Chimichurri tastes fantastic, especially when paired with white bread.
Chimichurri–the Spanish Version of “Give Me Curry”?
How chimichurri got its funny name is not entirely clear. Some say it is related to the creator of the specialty, Jimmy McCurry, and the name of the Irishman. Others are sure that the sauce goes back to James C. Hurray. A Basque origin of the name is also conceivable. There, the term “Tximitxurri” exists, which translates to “a mixture of several things in no particular order.” In another version of the legend, the name derives from the Spanish pronunciation of the phrase “give me curry.”
With a specialty like chimichurri, where so many stories circulate about the origin of its name, there are naturally several recipes. Depending on the region and country, different versions of the delicacy are widespread. Almost always included in a recipe for chimichurri are the basic ingredients garlic, parsley, oregano, chili, pepper, and onions. If desired, you can enhance your sauce with thyme, chili flakes, bay leaves, paprika, and basil.
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Recipe for Chimichurri
Ingredients
- 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
- Olive oil
- 1 lime
- Dried oregano
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves of garlic
- Dried thyme
- 1 chili
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper
Preparation
- First, finely chop the parsley, garlic, and shallot and grind them in a mortar.
- Add the juice of one lime and olive oil, and stir into a thick paste. The sauce should have the consistency of pesto.
- Add pepper, salt, thyme, oregano, a chili, and the bay leaf. Then let it steep in a mason jar in the refrigerator for one to three days. Remove the bay leaf before serving and enjoy.
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