This rain, however trying it has been on my motherly patience, has done a world of good for my herb garden.  I bought herbs from The Seasoned Farmhouse through their spring herb sale in which proceeds went to support the local food magazine, Edible Columbus.  With the exception of my dying chervil (perhaps the victim of too much rain!), my herb plants are thriving.  We’ve had fun putting the old traditional herbs like basil, parsley, rosemary and chives to use while trying out those that are newer to us like fresh sorrel and marjoram.  The kids love to pick off samples of each herb while they are playing outside — they have developed fairly strong opinions about their herb preferences!

I’ve mentioned more than once that I love green herby sauces but I have not mentioned that I recently bought myself a new 5 cup Cuisinart Food Processor (the 2 cup just wasn’t cutting it anymore).  With thriving herbs outside her back patio door and a beautiful new food processor, what’s a girl to do but to make herself a new green sauce every week?  Last week, healthy roasted summer vegetables got a nice little boost when I mixed them with homemade fresh sorrel pesto.  I love having these sauces on hand to drizzle over hummus for a snack, use as a spread on a sandwich, mix into a pasta salad or use as a salad dressing.

Chimichurri is the classic Argentinian green sauce that is served with almost every type of meat in Argentina, especially steak.  With no cheese or nuts, like in a traditional pesto, it’s much less rich than pesto.  I’d describe it more as a thick, herbaceous, tangy and savory olive oil.  I really can’t get enough of it — it really elevates any grilled meat to a whole new level.  But remember, chimichurri sauce is not just useful to fancy up a grilled flank or skirt steak.  Keep it in a mason jar in the fridge and I guarantee you’ll find plenty of ways to use it up throughout the week.

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh Italian parsley (packed)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro or fresh oregano (packed) [traditional chimicurri calls for fresh oregano but I personally prefer cilantro — or try a mix of both to equal 1/4 cup].

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2-3 garlic cloves

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

Puree all ingredients except olive oil in food processor until smooth.  Add olive oil in a steady stream and process until smooth.  Season to taste.  Add a squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavor if need be.  Place in airtight container and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to overnight before serving.  Will keep in refrigerator for one week.