Hi everyone, Jess here. I hope you are enjoying the first dreary days of April. Though we may not be loving this rainy and raw weather, the fields are in heaven as they prep for a year of grow time!
We had received a bunch each of parsley and cilantro in this week’s CSA, and for those wondering what the heck to do with it, Chimichurri is a great solution! It has a springtime freshness that works as a marinade for beef and pork, or as a topping for many dishes! It has a springtime freshness that is a great change from salad, and very versatile.
This version is adapted from a Bon Appétit recipe, but there are many different versions out there to try depending on your tastes and what you have on hand. This particular recipe called for a red jalapeño, but I still have some of last summer’s green jalapeños that were left in the swap box. Because I froze them in the chest freezer, they will be almost twice as potent. (Always keep that in mind when working with frozen spicy peppers-I learned that one the hard way).
Before I ramble on too much, let’s get to it!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 bunch parsley, rinsed well & finely chopped
- 1 bunch cilantro, rinsed well & finely chopped
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1 jalapeño (from frozen, would use 2 if fresh) minced
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 3/4 cup-1 cup extra virgin olive oil (more if for marinade, less for garnish, use your discretion)
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
Whisk together vinegar, salt, shallots, jalapeno, garlic cloves, and oregano, letting rest for 10 minutes.
Mix together parsley and cilantro.
Combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Finish by adding olive oil, starting with 1/2 cup and adding to the desired consistency for marinade or topping.
The final product! I must admit that a red jalapeño would have added a nice pop of color, but we work with what we have, and the taste is still fabulous!
Chimichurri sauce is great on pot roast, beef kabobs, pork kabobs, steak, just about any meat.
Here you see a small portion of baked haddock from Jordan Brothers with a heaping helping of “beets & sweets” with goat cheese and balsamic glaze.
This recipe makes a ton and I’ll be putting it on many more dishes throughout the week, but I wanted to put it out there for folks seeking ideas for what to do with their greens this week. Enjoy!