Chimichurri: Vegan Before It Was Cool

 If you’re like me, you’ve been trying to live your life according to a series of newly acquired House of Cards quotes. One of my favorites from season five was:

 “Behind every good leader is a great partner.” 

  I think that’s true - and would like to apply it in the kitchen as well: behind every protein, should be a great sauce, backing it up, cutting through the salt and the fat to balance out your flavor profile to something more meaningful and memorable. 

Enter stage left: chimichurri sauce. This is a fantastic, herbal remedy to a piece of pork, chicken or beef. The combination of parsley and red wine vinegar pair beautifully with anything charred, roasted or grilled. The other beauty? If you’re not into eating mammals for dinner, this sauce also pairs nicely with plant-based proteins such as tofu, tempeh and seitan, which are often considered fairly flavorless on their own. Bonus: chimichurri IS vegan. Score.

 I used 2″ thick pork chops as my main course, as I’ve been obsessing with my local butcher’s selections. Regardless of which side of the fence you’re on, here is a fool proof recipe for chimichurri sauce:

Ingredients:

-¾ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, diced

-1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

-½ cup vidalia onion, diced or minced

-3 cloves garlic, minced or grated

-1 ½ tbsp kosher salt

-1 tbsp freshly cracked black pepper

-1 tsp red chili flakes

-½ cup extra virgin olive oil

-¼ cup red wine vinegar

Method:

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Add olive oil and red wine vinegar and stir until thoroughly incorporated.

3. Let sit for 1-2 hours. The vinegar will soften and “cook” the onions and garlic, letting the flavors relax and permeate the sauce.

4. Serve over pork, beef, chicken, tofu or all of the above.