Chimichurri (Hot Vinegar-Parsley Sauce)

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There is a minor debate about whether or not this Argentinian sauce 
should contain chile peppers. As usual, there is no real answer because 
cooks tend to add them or not, according to taste. This sauce is served 
with broiled, roasted, or grilled meat and poultry.

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ají chile powder, or substitute New Mexican red chile powder
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf, crushed
1/4 cup minced parsley (or substitute Italian parsley)
Salt to taste

Instructions

Combine the olive oil and vinegar in a bowl and whip with a whisk. Stir 
in the remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly, and allow to sit for 2 
hours to blend the flavors.

Salsa Criolla (Creole Barbecue Sauce)

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There are many variations on this Creole sauce from Argentina, but this 
is my favorite. It is served with grilled, roasted, or barbecued meats, 
especially matambre. Variation: Add 1 bell pepper and 1 jalapeño, both 
seeded and minced.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ají chile powder or substitute New Mexican red chile powder
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 onions, minced
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped fine
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
Salt to taste

Instructions

Combine the chile powder and the mustard with a little vinegar to make a 
paste. Add the rest of the vinegar and the olive oil and beat with a 
whisk. Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and allow to sit for 2 
hours to blend the flavors.

Brazilian Steaks With Jalapeño-Lime Salsa

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Brazilian Steaks

With Jalapeño-Lime Salsa

Total time: about 22 minutes

Ingredients

A gas or charcoal grill – preheated to 450˚F

Food processor

Pastry brush

Non-stick cooking spray

Heated platter

Large sheet aluminum foil

 

2 jalapeño peppers chopped

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 small white onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/3 cup dry red wine

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley

4 (1/2-pound) sirloin steaks, 1 1/2-inches thick

Olive oil

Instructions

Brazilian Steaks


Step 1:

Combine the peppers, salt, onions, garlic, lime juice, wine, oregano, bay leaf, black pepper, and the parsley, in a bowl in a blender or food processor, and process with 2-3 pulses to get a salsa-like texture. The amount will be approximately 1 cup. Cover and keep at room temperature until ready to use.

Step 2:

Brush both sides of the steaks with the olive oil; spray the grill with non-stick cooking spray, then place the sprayed grill on pre-heated barbecue.

Step 3:

Place the steaks on the grill over direct heat, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side, to an internal temperature of 145˚F for medium-rare.

Step 4:

Remove the steaks and place on a heated platter, cover with foil, let stand for 5 minutes.

Step 5:

Serve the steaks with the room temperature salsa.

Jerk Chicken with Pineapple-Mango Salsa

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This recipe for jerk sauce is fiery but not incendiary, full of flavor, and worth the effort to make it. There are as many Jamaican recipes for jerk as there are Jamaicans; I settled on this as one the best of the best. Serve with big iced bottles of Jamaican Red Stripe beer. Read more about Jamaica’s Jerk cuisine in the article“Cookin’ Jerk on de Barbacoa, Mon!” By Rick Browne

Ingredients

Chicken

















1/3 cup coarsely chopped shallot

4 green onions, green and white parts, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup water

Juice of 2 limes

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 to 1 Scotch bonnet chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons allspice

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4-6 (4 to 6 oz.) skinless, bone-in chicken breasts

1 cup chopped fresh pineapple

1 cup chopped fresh mango

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 tablespoon minced jalapeño

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

In a food processor or blender, combine the shallots, green onions, oil, water, lime juice, soy sauce, Scotch bonnet, garlic, ketchup, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and thyme and process until a smooth paste forms. Set aside.

Wash the chicken breasts and pat dry. Using rubber gloves, cover each breast with the jerk paste. Place the chicken in a re-sealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours.

Prepare a charcoal or gas barbecue for indirect grilling, placing a drip pan under the cool side of the grill rack.  Preheat to 350 degrees F. Make sure the grill rack is clean, and oil it thoroughly with nonstick cooking spray.

Remove the chicken from the bag and transfer to the prepared grill rack over direct heat. Cook for 5 minutes per side, then move the chicken to the cool side of the grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes longer per side, until the internal temperature reaches 160˚F. Remove the chicken from the grill and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the salsa by combining the pineapple, mango, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime juice in a food processor and pulsing 3 or4 times until the ingredients are chopped, but still chunky. Pour into a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Serve each breast topped with a generous portion of salsa.

Salsa de Chipotle (Chipotle Chile Sauce)

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This recipe is part of a five-part series devoted to chipotles–those many varieties of smoked chiles. You can go here to start reading–and cooking with–chipotles of all kinds.

Ingredients

10 dried chipotle chiles
4 mulato chiles, or substitute anchos
1/2 onion, chopped
10 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
10 black peppercorns
10 cumin seeds
1/2 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 cup water

 

Instructions

In a bowl, soak the chiles in hot water until soft, about 4 hours. Remove the seeds and stems.

In a food processor or blender, combine the chiles, onion, garlic, olive oil, sesame seeds, peppercorns, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, Mexican oregano, and salt and process to a paste.

Heat the olive oil and vegetable oil together in a saucepan and fry the paste over medium heat until it is aromatic, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and water, remove from the heat, and stir well.