“Like garlic?”
“Um, yeah!” said anyone with taste buds ever.
What else can I do with Chimichurri? Checkout some ideas from our friends at Gaucho Ranch Foods here. We think Chimichurri Pizza is a superb flatbread concept.
Wait. Huh? What is Chimichurri again? It’s more than a steak sauce. In fact it’s quite versatile. It’s a delicious mix of parsley, garlic, vegetable oil, vinegar, and spices like oregano. Good with lots of different foods.
Argentine Asado (1 of 4)
GROCERY LIST
• 2lbs. flank steak, skirt steak or lamb (the grass fed stuff is dynamite and the way they do things in Argentina too)
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 head of romaine or your favorite lettuce
• 2 medium sized tomatoes or two handfuls of cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 red onion or large shallot (optional)
• 4 oz. fresh Mozzarella (or substitute 4 oz. heart of palm or one small avocado)
• Sea salt or kosher salt
• Black pepper
MEAL PREP STRATEGY AND TIPS
1. About an hour before grilling, season the meat and let it come up to room temperature.
2. If cooking outside, get a grill nice and hot — also make sure it’s nice and clean!
3. Wash and prep the vegetables.
4. Add hot water to quinoa.
5. If cooking the meat indoors, remember to not crowd the pan.
6. Let the meat rest 10 minutes before slicing or serving (if slicing to share, cut against the grain).
7. Enjoy your alfajores for dessert.
• Est. prep and cook time: 60-80 minutes
• Meal can be divided in half to serve 2
• Tbsp. = tablespoon Tsp. = teaspoon
Argentine Asado (2 of 4)
INGREDIENTS
• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 lbs. flank steak (skirt steak works well too, but needs a minute more on the grill)
Alternative: 8 lamb rib chops or 4 shoulder chops. Lamb is popular in Patagonia and pretty darn delicious alongside chimichurri.
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. of fresh ground black pepper
• Salt Traders Smoked Spicy Paprika finishing salt to taste
• 4 tbsp. Gaucho Ranch Chimichurri (or a little more, if you really enjoy it)
DIRECTIONS
1. Light a grill. Get it nice and hot! Or put a grill pan or cast iron pan on the stove and turn the heat up high… it’s still asado.
2. Season your steak or lamb chops well with black pepper and sea salt or kosher salt (both sides). This is going to make a sublime crust.
3. Is your grill/pan hot? OK! Oil the grill or grill pan. Grill the meat until it chars outside and is rare to medium (2 minutes per side for rare. 3-4 for medium to medium-well). We advise using a meat thermometer: 125ºF for rare, 140ºF for medium.
4. Por favor, let that meat rest for 10 minutes before serving or slicing (juices are flowing and making your meat succulent). Sprinkle on the finishing salt.
5. Serve each steak with about 1 tbsp. of Gaucho Ranch chimichurri sauce
Argentine Asado (3 of 4)
INGREDIENTS
Salad
• 1 head of romaine or your favorite lettuce
• 2 medium sized tomatoes or two handfuls of cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 red onion or large shallot (optional)
• 4 oz. fresh Mozzarella (or substitute 4 oz. heart of palm or one small avocado)
• Salt Traders brand paprika finishing salt
Dressing
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch of fresh ground black pepper
• 1 pinch of sea salt or kosher salt
• 3 tbsp. La Casa del Vino Pecan Nut Balsamic vinegar
Optional: 1 pinch of Salt Traders Smoked Spicy Paprika salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Optional: If you’re heating an outdoor grill for the steaks, feel free to brush the romaine with oil and place it on the grill for 10-20 seconds.
2. Mince the onion.
3. Chop lettuce, tomatoes and other vegetables into fork size pieces.
4. Combine the vegetables in a bowl with bite-sized slices of Mozzarella.
5. Sprinkle with finishing salt.
6. Combine dressing ingredients separately and add to the salad to taste.
Optional: For a creamy dressing alternative, combine equal parts plain yogurt, oil and the nut pecan vinegar. Add a few mint leaves and presto!
Argentine Asado (4 of 4)
INGREDIENTS
Salad
• 2 cups water
• 1 tsp. vegetable or olive oil
• 1 cup Wholesome Kitchen Vegetable Quinoa with Smoked Paprika
• 1/2 tsp. salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Bring water to a boil.
2. In a separate saucepan heat oil.
3. Add quinoa to the oil and stir, toasting the grain for 30 seconds.
4. Add boiling water and salt to the quinoa. Stir.
5. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
6. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes before serving as the perfect side to various dishes.
The Nut Pecan Vinegar can be used to add flavor to rice, in potato salads, when cooking meats, in Asian dishes, and here’s a recipe for soup.
(Serves 6 to 8 people)
Ingredients:
2 ¼ cup peeled pecans
2 tb vegetable oil (preferably grape seed oil)
¼ cup red onion chopped
1 cup leek chopped (only the white part)
½ cup celery chopped (or fennel)
¼ cup brown sugar
1 ts cinnamon
1 laurel leaf
6 cups chicken broth
Salt and white pepper
¾ cup heavy cream
¼ cup pecan vinegar
Preheat the oven at 350. Toast the pecan nuts in the oven for about 15 min until golden brown. Chop them and reserve.
In a pot, sauté the onion, leek and the celery for about 10 in vegetable oil. Add 2 cups of toasted pecan nuts and reserve the rest. Add cinnamon, sugar, laurel leaf, and stir for 5 min. Add the chicken stock and bring to boil, reduce heat to low. Cook covered for 2 hrs, until the nuts are soft.
Discard laurel leaf and puree in the blender in batches until reaching a creamy consistency. Add the heavy cream and the vinegar.
Use the reserved pecans for garnish. Serve hot or cold.
1 lb pasta
1 red bell pepper
2 tomatoes
1 zucchini
1 eggplant
1 onion
2 oz black olives
4 tb nut pecan vinegar
2 tb butter
Chimichurri
Spicy paprika salt
Preheat oven at 350. Wash the vegetables and slice them. Julienne the bell peppers and chop the garlic.
Pour the vegetables in an oven safe dish and drizzle the vinegar and oil or on top. Season with 2-3 tablespoons of Gaucho Ranch Chimichurri and paprika salt. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes in the middle rack.
Meanwhile add pasta to boiling water and cook following box instructions. Once the pasta is done, drain and add butter to pasta.
Mix the pasta with the vegetables and serve! Use black olives to garnish.
Recipe Credits: All Gourmet and Hungry Globetrotter
