Cook's Corner Recipe: Chimichurri Sauce

From Linda Cicero's Cook's Corner

CONDIMENT

CHIMICHURRI

(above, on churrasco)

After an Argentine restaurant turned down our recipe request, I came up with this one by watching my Argentine friend Belen make chimichurri. Other versions use cilantro or the more intense culantro instead of parsley.

To make churrasco, marinate two 1 ½-pound skirt steaks in about 2 cups chimichurri in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Grill steak as desired, basting with marinade. Serve with remaining 1 cup chimichurri on the side.

• 1 tablespoon coarse salt

• 1 cup boiling water

• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh oregano

• 3 cups coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 6 garlic cloves

• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 dried red chile pepper, or to taste (optional)

• 2 tablespoons Spanish sweet paprika

•  ½ teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• Juice of 1 lime

•  ½ cup balsamic or other red wine vinegar

• 2 whole roasted pimientos, diced fine

•  ¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion

Add salt to water; set aside. In a food processor, pulse oregano, parsley and garlic to chop. Add salt water, olive oil, chile pepper, paprika, cumin, pepper, lime juice and vinegar; pulse about 20 seconds. Stir in pimiento and onion. Makes about 3 cups.

Per tablespoon: 44 calories (89 percent from fat), 4.6 g fat (0.6 g saturated, 3.3 g monounsaturated), 0 cholesterol, 0.2 g protein, 0.9 g carbohydrates, 0.3 g fiber, 147.9 mg sodium.