Devil with the green dress on

Hello! Happy 4th of July weekend (and late Canada Day, to all my Canadian homies.) I've got a quick recipe for you today/tonight, since you're all busy and you may be--at this very moment--too occupied with surviving these 100+ degree days of summer to bake. So! Here's a little number that takes only 10 minutes and a buzz in the blender.

Have we talked about chimichurri sauce? No? Let me correct that error now. I discovered this herbed sauce three weeks ago while flipping through my trusty Betty Crocker; since then, I've made two double batches of the stuff. I haven't fallen this hard in love with an accompaniment since I discovered Sriracha, and you know my love for Sriracha is forever.


However, this jar is full of love. Green, parsley-filled love. That's how chimichurri looks like straight from the refrigerator; the olive oil has solidified, turning the usually silky dressing into a spreadable garnish. Besides parsley, that jar is filled with sharp garlic, perky vinegar, salt, and a dash of dried red pepper.

Whether you spread chilled chimichurri with a knife or dip french fries in it when it's a liquid is up to you. I'm calculating all the ways I can incorporate this Argentinian dip into my 4th of July festivities. I see it smoothed over a burger, melting on corn on the cob, or as an alluring dip for crudites. It's the devil with the green dress on. (Lord, have mercy!) Please make some - soon! Before you know it, you'll be smothering everything with chimichurri.


Chimichurri sauce
adapted from The Betty Crocker Cookbook, 10th Edition

makes 1 cup sauce, but the recipe doubles easily (so you should make twice as much)

• 1 bunch parsley (about 1 cup packed), chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup Spanish olive oil
• 1/4 white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Cover and blend until well pureed. You may need to tweak the recipe based on the amount of parsley you use. If the sauce is thick, add a little more olive oil and vinegar. If it's too thin, add more parsley. Taste as you go until you've got a fresh, herbal sauce with a small vinegar kick. Cover the sauce and refrigerate for two hours before serving.

If you want to make chimichurri sauce deluxe (because you deserve it), substitute raw pumpkin seed oil for up to 1/3 of the olive oil. Not only will the sauce turn deeper, more devilish green, but the earthy notes of raw pumpkin play well with the fresh flavor of parsley.

Chimichurri keeps well in the fridge for weeks! Keep a jar on hand as often as you'd keep around a bottle of hot sauce or a jar of mustard.

If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
Cranberry walnut fudge
Radish top basil pesto
Three-minute strawberry salad with spearmint