Gaucho Sauce (Chimichurri - Herby Salsa)

It's been months since I last wrote a posting...I've been just too busy with our change of lifestyle.  In December we left Ponsonby for Portobello. Not only did we move from one end of New Zealand to the other, we moved from inner city living to 50 acres (20 hectares)

We love our bush clad piece of paradise on the edge of Portobello village, only 25 minutes drive out of Dunedin

It's always good to look into your pantry and come up with a meal without having to go shopping.  While packing up in Auckland a timely Radio NZ National interview with Grace Rameriz gave me recipes that allowed  me to utilise the cans of beans and rice I had squirrelled away in my pantry .

Grace promoting her colourful new cookbook "La Latina - A Cook's Journey Through Latin America" explained the cuisine of Latin America is all about big, fresh flavours - simplicity with not all the countries using chillies.

The Chimichurri herby salsa especially sparked my interest.  This sauce is linked to the gauchos (cowboys) of Argentina. 

Gauchos would cook over a wood fire with little more than salt and a few herbs to season their meat.  There are many variations to this recipe in Argentina so it's a sauce you can treat as a base and add to or use however you like.

Traditionally Chimichurri Salsa is used to add flavour and freshness to proteins (chicken, beef, fish, pork) without overpowering them but I've also used it to add an extra zing to simple flavoured vegetables like boiled new potatoes or aubergine and zucchini.

Gaucho Sauce (Chimichurri Salsa)

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup very finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 Tbsp fresh oregano finely chopped or 1 tbsp dried oregano, lightly crushed
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped and smashed with rock salt
• 1⁄2 tsp red chilli flakes
• 1⁄4 cup white vinegar (I prefer apple cider vinegar)

First of all I crush the garlic cloves in a little rock salt and this is the best way to make the garlic into a paste.  Best done with a mortar and pestle...but then I often just use the blade of a knife to finely cut and then squash the garlic into the salt.

You can use whatever combination of herbs you like.  With lamb I tend to use a mix of parsley and mint instead of the marjoram. Finely chop the herbs and then crush a little to extract the oils.  Often dried oregano is used but I tend to use fresh.

You can also add ground cumin if you want that earthy flavour. Dried chillies or fresh add a punch.  

Then simply stir in the oil and vinegar (twice the measure to the vinegar).Ideally let it sit for at least 30 minutes before using so that flavours will develop.

Our young gauchos Beau (left) and Alex (right) would probably prefer tomato sauce. So you can enjoy the chilli element and serve in a jug so that everyone can add just the amount of herby salsa they want. I have made it without the chilli and its still delicious.

I call it Gaucho Sauce because its memorable and evokes working and living outdoors.  It's more of a sauce consistency than the chunky salsas we recognise in New Zealand, but then salsa in Spanish does mean sauce. Add some chopped tomatoes or peppers and it will be more chunky.  

Peter and I have been spending long days working outside and having Gaucho Sauce on hand that can keep in the fridge for up to 5 days makes a simple meal a little bit special.

 

Parsley - a super food not simply a garnish

The humble parsley - who would guess it's actually a super food rich in anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre.    Yet how many times do you see it looking sadly discarded on a plate at a restaurant?

Curly Leaf parsley - not quite as strong a flavour as Italian flat leaf for cooking

To grow parsley at the start can be tricky but once its established you will always have it.   It doesnt like being transferred as it has a root system like a carrot, but I have had better luck if the seedlings are really little. One plant will usually last for two seasons.    I let parsley run to seed and in my garden wherever it lands it stays.   It seems to thrive in partial shade but it also grows in the sunny sites.

Gremolata 

My son, Gus the chef, let me into this secret of creating a fresh bouquet for dishes that have been slowly cooked, especially casseroles.   It's really easy and so effective.

Finely chop parsley, half a clove of garlic and zest from a lemon and add last minute to your dish so that the aroma is still there when you take it to the table.   Now that's a garnish!

I was reminded again of  Gremolata last night when I  attended chef Alison Lambert's 3 hour cooking class celebrating spring.   Alison introduced us to this topping as a final garnish/flavouring for her oven roasted carrots.   

Alison gave us a wonderful night's entertainment talking about living and working in Europe for 10 years, giving us handy hints that I will pass onto you (promise) and a gorgeous two course meal featuring a Greek lamb dish with pasta...yum! (might make that for the next family gathering).   Alison is the Dunedin Farmers' Market chef and like me she stands by herbs stating that they can change dishes from ordinary to something extraordinary.    

I am sure, like me, you will now have new respect for the humble herb parsley. 

Parsley is said to assist in treating PMT, menopause and easing cramps. Eating parsley everyday is claimed to reduce blood pressure.  It's probably the richest herb source of Vitamin K and is loaded with vitamins A, C and B that strengthens the body's immune system, stimulates digestion of protein and fat.   It is a diuretic that helps to rid the body of sodium and a good source of folic acid as well as iron. Chlorophyll found in parsley is a good cure to stop and avoid bad breath - that's why it is recommended that you eat it after consuming garlic. 

Read more…