Chimichurri

. . . with Grilled Portobello Steaks or Grilled Tofu Steaks

My sister-in-law was raving about chimichurri when I visited her last. I neglected to get her recipe but I looked up the basic recipe online and came up with a version with what I had on hand. In the end, I feel like my version tastes pretty good. I hope soon she will post her chimichurri recipe on her blog at some point and we can compare.

So what is chimichurri anyway?

It’s an Argentinian condiment. It might be considered the pesto of South America, perhaps. I think the Argentinians probably put this stuff on steak or something. I’m guessing. But the moment I tasted this sauce I knew I wanted to grill some portobello mushroom caps and slather it with this flavorful goodness.

Then I thought about how great this would taste with tofu and vegetables that have been grilled.

You can tell we’re in the thick of grilling season, can’t you?

The great thing about chimichurri is it uses really basic, readily-available, inexpensive ingredients. You could make this by the bucketfuls and really not have to spend much at all. Even with  my being generous in guesstimating some of the items such as red wine vinegar and olive oil and you can see the total cost is laughably low.

• Parsley $0.69
• Garlic $0.30
• Red Wine Vinegar $0.45
• Olive Oil $1.00
• Green Onion $0.30
• Lime $0.50
• Seasonings $0.10

Total: $2.84

Well now you know the ingredients that go into the recipe. Now here’s the rest of it.

Chimichurri

 

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Ingredients

• 1 bunch of parsley
• 8-10 cloves garlic
• ¾ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ lime, juiced
• 3-4 green onions
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ⅛ teaspoon red chili flakes, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Add parsley to the work bowl of your food processor. Pulse a couple times to chop it up a bit.
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped.
3. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt, pepper or chili flakes, as needed.
4. Let sit in fridge at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld.

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2.2.8

Whether you decide to serve this chimichurri atop portobello ‘steaks’ or tofu ‘steaks’ , I’d recommend taking a moment to infuse some additional flavor into the ‘steak’. I do this with a simple olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixture. One part olive oil and one part balsamic vinegar with a bit of dried oregano.

I used 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon of dried oregano. You’ll season the portobellos or tofu slices with salt and pepper before you throw them on the grill so you don’t need to add any to the oil-vinegar mixture.

The Portobello Steaks

Clean the mushroom caps by removing the tough ‘gills’ and wiping the caps clean with a damp towel.

Brush each cap on both sides with olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Grill for about 5-7 minutes per side, turning a quarter turn half way to get those pretty grill marks. Use the remaining oil & vinegar mixture to baste the portobello steaks.

The Tofu Steaks

Slice the firm tofu lengthwise into six equal portions. Press the tofu slices between sheets of paper towel, adding some weight to help squeeze out excess moisture.

Marinate the slices in the olive oil and balsamic vinegar mixture for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Grill for 5-7 minutes per side, turning a quarter turn half way to get those pretty grill marks. Use the remaining oil & vinegar mixture to baste the tofu steaks.

I love how beautiful food can be.