I love fresh herbs and encourage everyone that wants to have more flavors in their food to grow their own at home. When teaching about fresh herbs and their uses, it is surprising to me how many people agree that they add flavor to foods but have no idea how to incorporate in their recipes! Here is a good start on a simple recipe that combines fresh herbs, some garlic and additional ingredients that is blended in a food processor!! It is quick and simple and will definitely bring a whole lot a flavor to your table!! With all the rain that we have, my herbs are growing in abundance so I used a few and decided to make my own version of a Chimichurri sauce.
The Diabetic Chef ® Chimichurri Sauce
I use the sauce on a butterflied leg of lamb, marinated it overnight and cooked it on the grill!!! You can use this sauce on just about any meat to add a robust intense flavor! Let me know how this recipe works in your kitchen!!
The recipe is as follows: Chef Chris’s Chimichurri Recipe: ½ cup Oregano 1 Tbsp. Thyme 1 Tbsp. Mint 1 whole Garlic clove 1 Tbsp. Sherry vinegar 1 Tbsp. Capers ½ cup Olive oil
Tools: Cutting Board, Knife, Spatula, Food processor
- Collect Fresh Herbs: Oregano, Mint and Thyme
- Pinch stem and quickly remove leaves
- Pull stem away once leaves are removed
- Discard stem; wash and dry leaves for use
- Separate ¼ cup of Oregano, 1 Tbsp. Lemon Thyme and 1 Tbsp. Mint
- Go through herbs a second time and remove any excess stems that might have slipped through
- Make sure all ingredients are prepared
- Add all ingredients to the food processor and mix
- Enjoy your finished Chimichurri Sauce
- Use the sauce on your favorite food items!
Photo ® The Diabetic Chef
With its origins tracing back to Argentina, the preparation includes fresh herbs (usually parsley and oregano, and also cilantro), minced garlic, olive oil and either white or red vinegar. Variations include ingredients like paprika, cumin, lemon and hot peppers just to name a few. In addition there is a red version that may include tomatos or red peppers or both! My version of this recipe is created from what I have available in my house. I chose three different herbs, primarily oregano and smaller amounts of thyme and mint to complement one another. I added a whole clove of garlic, and substituted the red wine vinegar for a better quality Sherry vinegar. I also added capers, (Rinsing the capers to remove the excess brine) and extra virgin olive oil for additional flavor. This recipe can be prepared in advance and held for up to three (3) days before discarding. A lot of questions are asked about freezing this. My opinion is this recipe needs to be as fresh as possible, and my recommendation is to make small batches and make it often!! Try my chimichurri sauce this weekend or during the last weeks of summer and enjoy on meats, or vegetables or most any dish that needs a flavor punch with out adding additional salt! Let me know how it turned out and post it on here!!
