The History:
Chimichurri Sauce is from Argentina, where it is used as a marinade for grilled meats. According to Wikipedia, Chimichurri sauce may be named after a colonialist guy that I've never heard of, Jimmy McCurry (he's Irish, clearly) who invented it in the 19th century while marching around with some random Army General, fighting for Argentine independence. Cool. Thanks Jimmy McCurry! I first tasted it at a potluck at school, where it was served with local, heritage-breed roasted turkeys. It was incredible! I asked the guy who made it for the recipe (thanks Henry!) but hadn't made it yet... until now.
The Process:
This is one of the easiest sauces to make, ever. (It's also one of the freshest, perkiest sauces I've ever tasted: it's spicy, bright, herb-y, and zesty.) Everything goes in the food processor, and it's done.
The Recipe:
Well, Henry suggested a recipe from Epicurious, but I basically glanced at it and went rogue. I picked up some fresh herbs at my local Italian grocer, then washed the herbs, dumped all the ingredients in the processor, and tasted it until I'd got the flavors right. To be honest, I think it would take a lot to mess up this sauce. (And, I should warn you- I'm not one for precision in the kitchen. I never measure stuff (unless I'm baking) and I tend to fling ingredients in until the amount looks or tastes right. So any measurements I list are likely to be guesstimates.)
1 c. Parsley (I used flat leaf, but I don't think the type would make a difference.)
1 c. Cilantro (Epicurious used way less, but why skimp on cilantro!)
Handful of fresh kale (also not in Epicurious, but it's fresh and green tasting, and healthy, so why not?)
1/3 c. Lemon juice
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
salt (to taste)
chili flakes (to taste)
garlic cloves (to taste; I used 5 or so, which may be over-doing it.)
Cumin (to taste)
The Result:
