Chimichurri

An Argentine herb sauce of parsley, cilantro, garlic, and oregano loosened with oil and vinegar — essentially a herb-packed vinaigrette, and the classic partner for grilled or seared steak. This version deepens the flavor by frying garlic and shallots until crisp and pouring the hot oil over the herbs to bloom them, then finishing with a little raw garlic for the sharp bite that cooked garlic loses.

Chimichurri is a natural partner for grilled or pan-seared steak.

Makes about 2 cups (480ml)

Ingredients

Fat

• 1/2 cup neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable oil), for the aromatics
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Acid

• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Aromats

• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, pureed or grated raw
• 1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
• 1 tsp red chili flakes

Salads & Vinaigrettes

Vinaigrette Simple Bistro Salad Blue Cheese and Apple Salad Potato Salad

Balancing Fat and Acidity→

Method

This is a very tweakable recipe, so treat the amounts as a starting point. Don't like raw garlic? Leave it out. Prefer raw shallots? Add them raw. Use all olive oil or all neutral oil; use only vinegar for the acid, or all lime. It's a matter of preference.

Fry the garlic and shallots

Add ½ cup of neutral oil to a small saucepan over low heat, add the minced garlic and shallots, and fry gently, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, about 8–10 minutes. Keep the heat low throughout — this slow fry is what flavors the oil without burning the garlic and shallots, which would turn the whole sauce bitter.

Bloom the herbs

While the garlic and shallots fry, combine the cilantro, parsley, oregano, and chili flakes in a heatproof bowl. Once the fried garlic and shallots are golden and crisp, pour the hot oil (garlic, shallots, and all) directly over the herbs — the heat will lightly wilt and bloom the herbs, releasing their aroma.

Finish and rest

Stir in the raw pureed garlic, olive oil, Dijon mustard, lime juice, and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and let the mixture sit for at least 20–30 minutes at room temperature before serving to let the flavors meld. Store in the fridge for up to a week — bring back to room temperature before serving, since the oil will solidify slightly when cold.