Chimichurri (or Green Gold)

Our society has a bit of a love-hate recipe with Gwyneth Paltrow, and I'm no different. I subscribe to the GOOP newsletter, but I regularly end up deleting it with an eye roll. The recommendations are often completely out of touch with my normal-person lifestyle. $400 cleanses? Travel guides for the Hamptons? $900 candlesticks? That said, the woman knows how to cook, and I'm a big fan of her cookbook "It's All Good." Although not all recipes in the cookbook are slam dunks and a few are plain ridiculous (fish roasted in salt anyone?), there are also some real winners.


One of my favorites from the cookbook is for chimichurri, which sounds really ridiculous but tastes amazing. Chimichurri is an Argentinian sauce, kind of like a pesto, usually used to top gilled steak. There are a loads of recipes on the Internet, but I used the great version from "It's All Good" and made a few adjustments to make it even better.

This sauce is absolutely delicious and I find myself smearing it on just about anything. I've started calling it green gold because it pairs so well with so many different kinds of foods and flavors. It is a bit strong and the flavor tends to eclipse whatever you put it on, so I generally pair it with simple flavors. Some of my favorites:

• Egg sandwiches: spread on crusty bread slices and top with sliced hardboiled eggs and sliced tomatoes. 
• With shrimp or fish tacos. 
• Drizzled on scrambled eggs. 
• In grilled cheese sandwiches. (Yes, really.)
• Mix a few teaspoons into simple vinegar and oil salad dressing. 
• Simple fish: cover salmon steaks or fillets or other white fish liberally with chimichurri and lemon slices and bake until done. 
• Topping for grilled steak (can't speak to this one since I don't eat meat, but I've heard it is tasty!).
• Mixed into quinoa and couscous and chopped veggies. 

I generally always have some in my fridge and it keeps really well in the freezer.

Combine the following in a food processor: 1 cup parsley; 1/2 cup cilantro; 1-2 tablespoons roughly minced jalapeno, stems and seeds removed for less heat (from about 1/2 a large jalapeno); 4-6 garlic cloves (depending on size), roughly chopped; 1 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar; 6 tablespoons olive oil (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons); 1/4 teaspoon salt; a few grinds of black pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon); 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1-2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (optional).

Pulse 10-20 seconds at a time until combined. The sauce should be a bit thick.

Store this sauce in the fridge for about a week (although I've never had it last that long around my place) or in the freezer for a month or so.

Chimichurri
Adapted from "It's All Good" by Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen
Makes just under 1/4 cup

1 cup parsley, packed
1/2 cup cilantro, packed
1-2 tablespoons roughly minced jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed for less heat (from about 1/2 large jalapeno)
4-6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (depending on size)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, a few turns
1-2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse 10-20 seconds at a time until well combine. Sauce should be thick but well combined.