Bursting with Potential

I guess there must just something about the color green. When I was young, I asked my mom to paint my room that color. I've always liked green shirts. I have a big green blanket that I snuggle under on the couch. Most people would say my eyes are green (although Mom likes to needle me by saying that the few yellow-brown specks around my pupils make them hazel). One of my favorite things about Florida is the year-round green landscape. My kitchen is painted green. And this is my second post featuring a steak with a green sauce. 

The first post featured a brilliantly bright green, spicy, garlicky sauce to be used in small, potent quantities. This green sauce, however, is a whole different animal. It's a beautiful deep green, herbal, with a smooth flavor that can complement so many things. It's a Chimichurri. 

Chimichurri is a popular condiment, most often associated with Argentina. There are as many recipes as there are people, but it is always heavy on the herbs and mixed with garlic, salt, pepper, and oil. Typically it is used on grilled meats, which is how I paired it the night I made it, but since then, I have been using the leftovers on scrambled eggs. (Yes, I had green eggs and ham for breakfast yesterday.) I think it would be great not just on steaks, but on chicken, pork, pizza, as a dipping sauce for great bread, or drizzled on fresh tomatoes. The herbal freshness is just perfect for a hot Florida summer. 

Chimichurri

1 cup parsley leaves (pack into the cup to measure)

1/4 c shallot, very finely minced

4 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 C olive oil

1/4 C red wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

2 Tb water

Place parsley and garlic in a food processor and process until finely minced, stopping as needed to scrape down the bowl. (You can also do this by hand. Just mince them together as finely as possible.) Remove from the food processor and whisk in the oil, vinegar, shallots, salt, and pepper. Thin with up to 2 Tb water as you see fit. Taste, adjust seasoning to your liking, and serve. 

Note: All of the pictures in this blog blow up to a larger size if you click on them. If you happen to do this with the photo in this post, you may notice a book in the corner of the photo. Lest you get the wrong idea about this household from the title, let me explain that is called "Porn for Women", and is a book of postcards featuring shirtless men doing things like vacuuming, ironing, and buying chocolate. Next time, I will check the photo more closely for unwanted props before diving in for dinner.