
So after I turned 50 lbs. of tomatoes and half a bushel of peppers into salsa for canning, I found myself with an extra 1 1/2 cups of finely chopped cilantro. What to do? Make chimichurri of course.
It must be noted, of course, that traditional chimichurri from Argentina and Uruguay doesn’t actually use cilantro. It comes in a green version and a red version, and traditionally contains parsley, garlic, olive oil, oregano, and red wine vinegar.
However, I had a bunch of cilantro and a bit of parsley. And I like cilantro (I pity you poor individuals who have the gene that makes it taste soapy to you). So I made my own version to freeze so that I’d have it on hand for easy use when I want it.
Non-Traditional Green Chimichurri Sauce
Prep time: 15 minutes, Total time: 16 minutes, Yield: 2 cups
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup minced cilantro
- 1/4 cup minced parsley
- 1 minced jalapeño / Fresno / cayenne pepper (seeded)
- 1/4 cup minced garlic (unless you’re a wimp)
- 2 tbsp. fresh minced oregano or 1 tbsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Remove the cilantro and parsley leaves from their stems and throw into a food processor to pulse until they are minced (or, if you’re a masochist like me, mince it all by hand). This will be your most time-intensive step. Core, seed, and mince your pepper and garlic as well (though I highly advise keeping a 32 oz. jar of minced garlic in your fridge at all times, because why on earth would you want to mince garlic every time you cook something?
- Throw all of your minced goodies into a bowl. Add all of your seasonings, your lime juice and red wine vinegar into the bowl as well. Drizzle olive oil into bowl while stirring vigorously with a fork.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Use as a marinade or sauce for anything you like!
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