You are viewing this article in the AnnArbor.com archives. For the latest breaking news and updates in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area, see MLive.com/ann-arbor
Posted on Wed, Mar 23, 2011 : 10 a.m.

Spice up your burger with Argentine chimichurri sauce

By Jessica Webster

032411_webstercolumn.jpg

The chimichurri sauce adds a nice tangy flavor to the burgers.

Jessica Webster | AnnArbor.com

I ate more than my share of hamburgers in 2010. Between all the research I did for my local burger roundup and my obsessive need to eat at all new Ann Arbor area restaurants (and there were a whole lot of new burger restaurants!), I just about burgered myself out.

This recipe from “30-Minute Suppers,” however, may have reignited my burger lust. I am always a sucker for a good chimichurri sauce, and I love the idea of including the sauce both in the patty and on the finished burger.

Chimichurri sauce is kind of like an Argentine pesto. It’s usually made with parsley, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and red pepper flakes, and often accompanies a steak or is used as a marinade.

You can either mince and mix the ingredients, or you can get a thicker, more pesto-like sauce by blending or food processing the ingredients. Either method is delicious.

When choosing meat for a hamburger, I prefer the flavor of grass-fed beef. Beff that is 85 percent lean gives you just the right balance of fat, leaving you with a nice, tasty, beefy burger.

Choosing a bun is nearly as important. Look for a dense enough bun to stand up to a hefty burger and sauce, otherwise you will find yourself eating this with a knife and fork.

I served my burgers with a variation on the farro recipe I shared a few weeks ago. I imagine it would also go very nicely with some sweet potato fries or potato salad. The possibilities are endless.

Burger Argentina with Chimichurri Sauce
from America's Test Kitchen's "30 Minute Suppers"

Ingredients
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 ½ pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 red onion, peeled and cut into ¼ inch rings
4 hamburger buns

Instructions
1. To make chimichurri sauce, combine parsley, olive oil, shallot, vinegar, garlic and pepper flakes in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. If you prefer to have a smoother consistency to your chimichurri sauce, you can pulse it through a food processor like a pesto.

2. Combine beef with ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and 3 tablespoons of the chimichurri sauce in a large bowl. Gently mix until combined. Form mixture into four ¾ inch-thick patties and make an indentation in the top of each patty by gently pressing down with your knuckle.

3. Heat 3 teaspoons of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook onion rings until soft and golden, about 6 minutes. Transfer the onion rings to a plate and tent with foil.

4. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil in the skillet until just smoking. Add patties until well browned and cooked to desired doneness, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Arrange burgers on buns, top with onion rings, and drizzle with chimichurri sauce. Serve with your favorite burger accompaniment.

Serves 4

Jessica Webster leads the Food & Drink section for the AnnArbor.com community team. You can reach her at JessicaWebster@AnnArbor.com.

Comments

bedrog

Thu, Mar 24, 2011 : 12:44 a.m.

Chimichurri is always good...i had a spectacular version in austin texas that was red...i think with the addition of some adobo paste to the basic recipe here.

Ellen

Wed, Mar 23, 2011 : 5:17 p.m.

yum! I make chimichurri to spread on bread or with a tiny piece of tenderloin for appetizers. It's a gorgeous color and so fresh-tasting!

Ignatz

Wed, Mar 23, 2011 : 4:46 p.m.

That stuff is insanely good. I had it first at Cafe Habana as an appetizer.