Chimichurri

This article is about the sauce for meat. For the sandwich served in the Dominican Republic, see chimichurri burger.
Chimichurri
TypeCondiment
Place of originArgentina
Main ingredientsfinely chopped flat leaf parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes and red wine vinegar
Similar dishesPersillade
Wasakaka

Chimichurri (Spanish: [tʃimiˈtʃuri]) is an uncooked sauce used as an ingredient in cooking and as a table condiment for grilled meat. Found originally in Argentina and used in Argentinian, Chilean, Uruguayan, Paraguayan and Brazilian cuisines, it has become widely adopted in most of Latin America. [1] The sauce comes in green (chimichurri verde) and red (chimichurri rojo) varieties. It is made of finely chopped flat leaf parsley, red fresno chili peppers, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano and vinegar or lemon juice. It is similar to Moroccan chermoula.

Etymology

Look up chimichurri in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

The name may be a variant of Spanish chirriburri 'hubbub', ultimately perhaps from Basque zurrumurru 'noise, rumor'.[2] Another theory connects it to Basque tximitxurri 'hodgepodge', 'mixture of several things in no particular order'; many Basques settled in Argentina in the 19th century.[3]

Various, almost certainly false etymologies purport to explain the name as a corruption of English words, most commonly "Jimmy['s] Curry",[4][5] "Jimmy McCurry",[4][6] or "gimme curry",[7] but no contemporary documentation of any of these stories has been found.

Preparation

Chimichurri is usually made from finely chopped flat leaf parsley, but other seasonings used vary.[8] Inclusion of red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, black pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, and sunflower or olive oil is typical (plus a shot of hot water).[8][9] Some recipes add shallot or onion, and lemon juice.[9] Chimichurri may be basted or spooned onto meat as it cooks, or onto the cooked surface of meat as it rests.[9] Chimichurri is often served as an accompaniment to asados (grilled meats).[8] It may be served with grilled steaks or roasted sausages,[1] but also with poultry or fish.

Other uses of the term

In the Dominican Republic, chimichurri or chimi is a hamburger topped with chopped cabbage and salsa golf.[10]

In the cuisine of León, Mexico, chimichurri is a pizza topping of mayonnaise, mustard, chile de árbol, white vinegar, garlic, oil, and salt. This dressing has an orange hue and is very popular in the city.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Joyce Goldstein, The mysterious origins of chimichurri, San Francisco Chronicle (October 5, 2012).
  2. ^ Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, s.v.
  3. ^ Raichlen, Steven (2010). Planet Barbecue!. Workman Publishing Company. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-7611-4801-2.
  4. ^ a b Austen Weaver, Tara (2010). The Butcher and the Vegetarian: One Woman's Romp Through a World of Men, Meat, and Moral Crisis. Rodale Books. p. 41. ISBN 978-1-60529-996-9.
  5. ^ Dobson, Francisco Ross (2010). Fired Up: No Nonsense Barbecuing. Murdoch Books. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-74196-798-2. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
  6. ^ Cooper, Cinnamon (2010). The Everything Cast-Iron Cookbook. Adams Media. p. 137. ISBN 978-1-4405-0225-5. Retrieved December 6, 2011.[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ John Torode in "A Cook Abroad", season 1, episode 3, BBC, 2015, .
  8. ^ a b c Maria Baez Kijac, The South American Table: The Flavor and Soul of Authentic Home Cooking from Patagonia to Rio de Janeiro, with 450 Recipes (Harvard Common Press, 2003), p. 337.
  9. ^ a b c Blumer, Bob. "Steak Gaucho-Style with Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce". Food Network. Retrieved September 11, 2017.
  10. ^ Helen Grave, 101 Sandwiches, ISBN 1782492992 [1]
  11. ^ "La salsa chimichurri de León". Bonito León (in European Spanish). January 2, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
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