Leading chefs believe that the “face” of any dish is seasonings, sauces, dressings and gravy. An exception may be considered only desserts. Without a pleasant and well-chosen sauce, even the most delicious dish will only be a miserable semblance of the taste richness that a consumer could provide. If you agree with this opinion and be sure to season your food, you definitely need to try chimichurri sauce: it is very simple and very tasty, and also fragrant and beautiful. If you avoid South American sauces because of their spiciness, then here it is unnecessary. Chimichurri is spicy rather than hot dressing. Although, of course, it can be made more "malicious".
History reference
What is known for sure is that chimichurri sauce was “born” in Argentina. But he did not stay in the kitchen only in this country and very quickly became part of the culinary tradition of almost all of Latin America. Now it is cooked at home and served in restaurants in Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, Bolivia, and in other countries too.
More foggy origin of the name. The word chimichurri is absent in any dictionary of the world and is known only as the name of the sauce. The most common, almost official version, says that it went from the time of the British capture of the kingdom of Rio de La Plata, formerly Spanish territory. Imprisoned Spaniards with Aborigines demanded that the soldiers seasonings in a terrible mixture of local dialects, Spanish and English. It sounded like a “che-mi-curry”, which transformed over time into chimichurri.
A more exotic explanation is the following: in the 19th century, colonists of Basque origin appeared in Argentina, who founded a settlement there. Local sauce struck their imagination and was widely used by them. To denote it, they used their word tximitxurri. Its exact translation is a mixture of several things. The version seems dubious, since there was only one colony, and the name of the sauce spread throughout Argentina, and then around the world.
Subtleties of creation
If you want a real Argentinean chimichurri sauce, you need to follow some simple rules. It is prepared very simply, the process takes literally minutes, but without following it you will get only a pale imitation of the world famous seasoning.
- Chimichurri sauce should have a pronounced structure. If you use a blender, you need to turn it on at a low speed and stop on time. In the mass simply must remain pieces of the components. Homogeneous porridge is not that.
- From herbs, only leaflets go to chimichurri sauce. However, in the presence of kitchen equipment, the stalks are shallow, but they are less fragrant and stand out more against the general background.
- The solid ingredients of the sauce are chopped or grinded separately. Liquids - oil, vinegar, lemon juice - intervene manually in an already prepared mass.
- Chimichurri sauce is better prepared in advance: it must stand so that its components take juices and flavors from each other.
- Do not be greedy, buy good olive oil for the sauce. Replacing it with any other is simply deadly for chimichurri.
Ideally, all herbs and spices should be fresh. However, the opportunity to purchase those is not always provided, so, with a sigh of chagrin, they can be replaced with dried ones.
What chimichurri fits
The sauce was originally intended for meat dishes, primarily beef. Over time, it spread to poultry and fish, as it perfectly sets off their taste notes. Chimichurri sauce is also used for pickling - in this case, it is sometimes diluted a little, making it more liquid. With the penetration of seasoning into Europe, its functions expanded even more: it turned out that chimichurri sauce is very harmonious with grilled vegetables. However, his main company is still fried meat, poultry and fish.
Basic kit
We can say that such a chimichurri sauce is classic, it was from such components that the very first prototype was made. It was based on parsley - fresh and plenty. The company in the sauce she was garlic, also in sufficient quantities. Olive oil and wine vinegar, both white and red, made it liquid. In the original recipe, the spices were only salt with oregano and sometimes hot pepper. Despite the rather poor list of ingredients, chimichurri sauce in this form is still popular at home. This same version of it is best known around the world.
In the process of spreading to different countries, adapting to local tastes and in the course of experiments on culinary sauce, there are a lot of versions of chimichurri today. Of the most commonly used components, you can name:
- onions: shallots, lettuce, onions, green;
- cilantro (for those who love its rather pungent smell and peculiar aftertaste);
- thyme;
- laurel leaves (in dried form);
- lemon juice; in some cases, zest is also used;
- bell pepper.
However, perfection knows no limits. Each cook can be said to invent his own chimichurri sauce. A recipe may not even contain half of the original ingredients.
Poor Sauce
This version of chimichurri is so named solely because it requires virtually nothing. The taste of the sauce will be invariably rich, and in the vegetable season will cost mere pennies. For him, two large (so that the fingers could hardly close) parsley, two large onions (ordinary, onions) and four Bulgarian red peppers are chopped or chopped finely. The liquid base is a glass of olive oil mixed with a third glass of wine vinegar. Salt and pepper - according to the preferences of the cook.
Chimichurri green sauce: recipe
This variety of Argentinean seasoning is perhaps the most famous in the countries of the Old World. Options for its preparation - a lot. We have chosen the most fragrant, appetizing and island green chimichurri sauce. Of the solid components you will need:
- Bell pepper, this time green - two pieces.
- Hot chili, also green - one and a half pods.
- A magnificent bunch of parsley.
- Half a bunch of cilantro. If you are opposed to this herb, increase the mass of greens specified in the previous paragraph.
- A good stalk of celery.
- Not a very large bunch of green onions. Do not throw out the white tips, but also put chimichurri in the sauce.
- Up to eight cloves of garlic.
- A teaspoon of capers.
- A few pieces of green olives.
All this turns into a total mass and is diluted with half a glass of unrefined olive oil with the addition of a spoonful of balsamic vinegar, the same amount of lemon juice and a stack of pickled olives. Additional components are black pepper, salt and sugar (it is usually poured in half less than salt).
Tomato recipe
Quite an interesting way to make chimichurri sauce. Not so often tomatoes take part in its variations. Here they are. True, dried tomatoes are required, they are taken by weight equal to parsley. You also need green onions (just a feather), a third of the mass of a tomato. Another ingredient is a thick sweet red pepper. Garlic is laid in accordance with your attitude towards it, but at least two cloves should be involved. Oregano is added in a small amount, so it can be seasoned and dried. For refueling, olive oil is used, mixed with wine vinegar, taken three times less. Please note that vinegar must be exactly red, white in this sauce does not harmonize - it conflicts with tomatoes.
Apple Chimichurri
Argentinean sauce has traditionally been based on wine vinegar. However, this original recipe boldly deviates from tradition: half a glass of olive oil with a large stack (60 milliliters) of apple cider vinegar with the addition of a balsamic spoon is combined for seasoning. Of the solid components, cilantro and parsley are taken primarily in a large bunch. Those who do not accept cilantro will have to refuse apple chimichurri - the taste will not be what it was intended to be. Of spicy herbs, basil and oregano, several branches each are also needed. In the absence of fresh herbs, dried spices are quite suitable - for a dessert spoon. Plus green sweet and small hot peppers. And most importantly - half a small sweet and sour apple. This chimichurri sauce is perfect for fish and poultry.
Chimichurri blank
True gourmets may consider it a profanation of high art, since dried herbs are used. However, lovers of picnics in nature and meat cooked over an open fire are very useful for pickling kebabs and eating it. Three large tablespoons of basil and oregano are mixed in a tightly closed container, two each - parsley, sea salt and thyme, one each - savory, smoked paprika and ground black pepper. Garlic powder and red pepper are poured in two small spoons (the latter can be less). On the eve of the planned exit to fresh air, the container is shaken, a quarter of the contents is removed from it and poured into the bottle with half a glass of olive oil and three spoons of wine red vinegar. The night of insistence - and you are ready for battle! And if you dilute the sauce even earlier, then you will have time to soak the meat.