Combine chimichurri with equal parts olive oil to use as a marinade and dressing for grilled vegetables. Add a few crushed cloves of garlic to that same mixture, brush it on a split ciabatta or baguette, and grill or broil it for an oregano-packed take on garlic bread. Chimichurri can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks; it will lose its bright green color, but it will improve in flavor with time.
Chimichurri recipe
Makes approx 1 cup
Ingredients:
¼ cup dried oregano
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
½ teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
½ cup hot water Kosher salt
¼ cup red wine vinegar
8 medium garlic cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil (it need not be extra-virgin, but it can be), plus more as needed
¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, finely minced
1 tightly packed cup fresh parsley leaves, finely minced
Black pepper
Method:
Combine the dried oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes and cumin (if using) in a large Add the water and a big pinch of salt and stir with a fork. Add the vinegar and stir to combine.
Smash the garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle to form a rough paste, then drizzle in about 2 tablespoons olive oil and work the garlic and oil around the mortar until it emulsifies and no loose oil Scrape the garlic mixture into the bowl with the oregano mixture and stir to combine. (Alternatively, smash the garlic cloves on a cutting board with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt, then use the side of your knife to scrape the mixture back and forth until a paste forms. Drizzle a little olive oil over the paste and work it in with the side of the knife. Repeat until you’ve added about a tablespoon of olive oil, then scrape the mixture up and transfer it to the bowl with the oregano mixture, add the remaining olive oil, and stir to combine.)
Add the fresh oregano and parsley and stir to Set aside at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator overnight, to allow the dried oregano to rehydrate and the flavors and texture to develop. Stir vigorously before tasting, then adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper.
Easy Weeknight Dinners by New York Times Cooking, published by Penguin Random House (RRP $59.99 AUD/$65.00 NZD).
