Tangy minty chimichurri sauce with fresh mint, parsley, and garlic.
When I first moved into my house, everyone advised me to pull out the mint that was growing in pockets here and there around the yard.
The rebel in me refused to do so, thinking, “I love mint! I’ll use it in cooking.” (Gardeners reading this are laughing about now.)
Let’s just say that mint grows very well indeed, and is especially well suited to containers, where it cannot send out runners and take over every nook and cranny in a yard.
I have kept the mint, but I do have to be diligent, and pull it up where it doesn’t belong.
Here’s a sauce that takes advantage of all that mint, a South American chimichurri, with mint taking the place of some of the parsley that is traditional for classic chimichurri.
I’ve made the sauce with straight mint and with a parsley mint blend, and the blend wins. It’s just the right balance of flavors. A lovely accompaniment to steak or pork, and a perfect sauce to spoon over lamb.
Mint Chimichurri Recipe
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Makes about 2/3 of a cup
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
- 1 cup fresh mint (spearmint) leaves, packed
- 1 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, packed
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Method
1 Place garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until chopped. Add the mint and parsley leaves and pulse until finely chopped. (Alternatively chop everything finely by hand.) Remove to a medium bowl.
2 Add the vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes to the mint parsley mixture and stir until the salt has dissolved. Stir in the olive oil.
Will keep for several days in the refrigerator. Perfect to serve with lamb or steak!
Links:
Venison with wild mint chimichurri sauce from Hank at Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
Grilled Hanger Steak with Cilantro Mint Chimichurri from A Spicy Perspective
