I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to make chimichurri sauce!! Where have I been?
The last time I had homemade chimichurri sauce, we were at a friend’s house a few years ago and they were grilling meat. And lots of it. They made some chimichurri sauce to accompany the meat but had to whip up some more because we devoured everything in record time. It was oh so good!
If you’ve never had it, Chimichurri, originally from Argentina, “is made from finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and white or red wine vinegar. Additional flavorings such as coriander, paprika, cumin, thyme, lemon, and bay leaf may also be included. In its red version, tomato and red bell pepper may also be added. Chimichurri can also be used as a marinade for grilled meat or, as people are most familiar with, as a sauce for grilled meat.”
If you ever need a delicious appetizer that will wow and impress your guests or family, this is it. From the braised beef to the flavorful chimichurri sauce, these little toasts are absolutely wonderful. Only note: you may need to be ready to make some more because these will go fast! I hope you enjoy!
Little Toasts with Braised Beef and Chimichurri Sauce
Ingredients
For the chimichurri sauce:
- 1 cup firmly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley trimmed with the stems cut off
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves OR 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 cup good quality olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
For the toasts:
- bread or a baguette; sliced and toasted
- olive oil
- braised beef
Instructions
For the chimichurri sauce:
- Combine everything from the parsley to the oregano in a food processor. Pulse until desired consistency is reached; after several pulses. Place in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix and combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Pour over the parsley mixture and mix well. Taste and adjust any seasonings as needed.
To assemble:
- To plate: drizzle a dash of olive oil on your little toasts (only if you didn't use any olive oil to toast the bread), place on some braised beef and then top with the chimichurri sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Braised Beef
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2-3 lbs stew beef or any beef cut OR a mixture of stew beef + short ribs or other fatty beef
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 large onion finely chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 2-3 celery ribs chopped
- 3 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
- One 750-milliliter bottle dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon
- 4 thyme sprigs
- 3 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the oil. Season your beef with salt and pepper on both sides. Add beef to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, turning only once or twice, until browned and crusty, about 12-15 minutes. Transfer the beef to a separate dish and set aside.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery and garlic to the skillet (with all the lovely browned bits) and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until very soft and lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes. Add the wine and thyme sprigs and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Add the beef back in and transfer to a large, enameled cast-iron casserole or dutch oven (if you are not cooking in it already). Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and cook in the lower third of the oven for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the meat is tender but not falling apart. Remove from oven and shred.
Recipe adapted from Food and Wine. To get your beef even more tender and flavorful, follow the Food and Wine recipe and refrigerate your meat in the marinade overnight. It’s delicious!
