Chimichurri to the rescue!

Chimichurri sauce, some say, is credited to the Argentinians. Venezuelans may argue it's their brilliance, however Mexicans try to steal the glory and claim it originates from their homeland. Personally I don't care who first thought of combining herbs like cilantro and parsley with lime (or lemon), olive oil, and vinegar. This incredibly zesty condiment is pretty darned GOOD and has made several appearances in my kitchen of late!

Photo credit: laylita.com

I made some of this deliciousness the other week by blending left-over cilantro, parsley, salt, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice until smooth--a great way to use up herbs that are looking kinda sad!

Here's the basic recipe I used as a guideline:

Chimichurri Sauce

(makes about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice

6 large cloves garlic, chopped

Chimichurri is most commonly served on top of grilled meat or fish. I used some of it to adorn a delicious steak I had cooked for dinner one night, but after about a week in the fridge, there was still a lot of sauce leftover. Of course I couldn't bear the thought of throwing it out, so as I was thinking of what to do, I came up with a brilliant idea--if it goes well on top of meat, why not inside! Voila: Nina's Chimichurri Burger was born! I decided to use lean ground turkey breast, as it's high in protein and very low in fat (99% fat free).

Chimichurri Turkey Burgers

3/4 C chimichurri sauce (save about 2 T and mix into greek yogurt or mayonnaise for a tasty condiment!)

1 20-oz package ground turkey breast (can use chicken or lean beef instead)

To make the burgers, simply mix the chimichurri sauce into the meat and let it rest for at least a few hours (preferably overnight) in the fridge so the flavors can meld. No need to add extra salt, as the flavor of the sauce is perfectly seasoned. Remove from fridge, form into 4-oz patties and cook on a grill or stove. These burgers are incredibly juicy and flavorful, I was pleasantly surprised!

I suggest serving on a nice hearty (multi-grain if available) toasted bun topped with lettuce, a thick slice of sun-ripened heirloom tomato, and some of that chimichurri mayo/greek yogurt!

Now THAT'S a burger!!!