Kale Chimichurri

 Empty headinSteak again? Boring Old Roasted Vegetables? Uninspired Salad? Have no fear for Chimichurri is here! Discover this simple twist on an Argentian classic with this Kale Chimichurri that goes good on just about anything! Just like our signature spices, It’s easy to see why Dan-O’s and Chimichurri get along so well. 

Linguistical Tailspin

As you may have guessed, this dish is Argentine in origin. Normally this dish is made of finely chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, and white vinegar. Though there are many regional variations. For example, this Kale Chimichurri is inspired by the Uruguay variation that uses red pepper flakes. No one is quite certain where the name comes from. 

Some linguists argue that it comes from Basque’s tximitxurri (pronounced chee-mee-choo-ree) roughly meaning a mix of several things in no special order. Another story claims that the name comes from “Jimmy’s curry”, Jimmy was an Englishman who joined the fight for Argentine independence. His name being very difficult for the locals to pronounce, morphed into Chimichurri.  Others argue that the word comes from when the British failed in their invasion Of Rio De la Plata in 1806 and were taken, prisoner. The prisoners requested condiments and bastardized English and Spanish together to form the word.

The actual dish is believed to come from Sicily’s Salmorigilo sauce, which was normally used on seafood. Meanwhile, Food Historians believe that chimichurri was invented by gauchos to flavor meat cooked over an open flame. 

Myths and Legends

Here are 4 things that Chimichurri is not. First, it’s not pesto. They look similar but are radically different flavors and different uses. It’s also not Argentine Ketchup, nor is it intended to be a marinade. It’s more akin to steak sauce than anything. Finally, it’s not just pureed herbs, it’s got more nuance.