The Case for Parsley [Simple Chimichurri]
- Aug 31, 2016
- 2 min read
I wish I had a more exciting story on how I came to love this simple and versatile green sauce, but truth be told—it was Passover and I didn't know what to do with all my leftover parsley. I had just made (gluten-free and vegetarian) Matzah Ball soup and was left with an overflow of this garnish. Parsley is for decorating seder plates and annoying the hell out of that awkward gap between your teeth. Sure I had heard of chimichurri, but little did I know how awesome it would be on EVERYTHING. Salmon, salads, steamed or grilled vegetables—no wonder Argentinians love it on steak! It’s so refreshing and vibrant and adds life to everything. And damn it’s cheap to make!
This is now my go-to green sauce, but “Why,” I ask myself, “Is parsley always overlooked?” People love fresh mint. They can’t get enough basil. Rosemary is the cool kid that finds her way into both sweet and savory dishes…yet parsley is always sorely turned away. Until now. You’ll love this recipe. Try it over grilled fish (or chicken or steak) while it’s still warm enough to cook outside. Or whip it up during the winter when you need to add some life to those sad frozen vegetables. Just give parsley a chance, will ya?
you’ll need…
1 large bunch of Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
1/2 a lemon
1 clove of garlic, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
to make…
Rinse and pat the parsley dry. Remove leaves from stems and add to food processor. (I use this, which actually came with my immersion blender—thanks Jen!). You may need to make this in batches, depending on how large your machine is. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, then de-seed and squeeze in the juice of half the lemon. Add in the garlic and sprinkle in some salt (start with a pinch—you can always add more) and pepper (a few grinds should do the trick). Pulse until pureed, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides, and to add in more olive oil if needed, a 1 tablespoon at a time. The sauce should be somewhat emulsified and the consistency of pesto (or slightly thicker). Enjoy immediately or cover tightly and store for a day or two in the fridge.
A few notes: It may lose a little of its vibrant green color, but should taste fine the next day. Makes roughly 1/2 a cup, depending on how big your parsley bunch is when starting out. Because it’s a fairly robust flavor, you don’t need that much when dressing up your protein or veggies of choice. And, if you don’t love garlic, you could always roast or sauté the garlic first to mellow out the pungent flavor, use only 1/2 a clove, or just leave it out completely. The sauce will still taste great.
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