All Year Long, Recipes, This Week, Uncategorized

Scallion & Arugula Chimichurri Sauce

Makes 2 cups

Chimichurri is a great pantry staple to have in your repertoire! It has more oil than pesto and is spiced with lots of red pepper. This bright spring chimichurri sauce doubles as a marinade and an accompaniment for grilled beef, chicken, or veggies–I particularly like this sauce on top of roasted romanesco or cauliflower. Scallions are usually one of the first spring alliums (the onion family) to make an appearance at the farmer’s market. You can swap in spring onions or leeks if you want to mix it up. 

Growing tip: Arugula is a great first-time salad green to grow. Simply sow the tiny seeds on the soil surface and keep watered. Harvest your greens by cutting the greens at the base of the plant. If you have the space, sow 2 patches in your garden 2 weeks apart. This method of succession planting ensures you will have an ample supply of arugula greens!

What you need:

-1 bunch of scallions, chopped thinly  (about 1 cup)

– ¼ cup Aronia berry or sherry vinegar

– Salt & Pepper

– 1 cup chopped arugula greens

– ½ cup olive oil

– ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

  1. In a medium bowl, toss the sliced scallions with vinegar and a pinch of salt. Let sit for 10 minutes. The vinegar will mellow out the raw onion taste of the scallion. 
  2. Make sure that your greens are finely chopped. You can substitute any flavorful greens you have on hand like basil, parsley, etc. Add the arugula, olive oil, and red pepper flakes to the scallion mixture. 
  3. Mix the sauce thoroughly and season to taste with salt and pepper. Use immediately as a sauce on grilled meats or veggies, or use as a marinade overnight. This sauce keeps in the fridge for 4 days…but it doesn’t usually last that long!

Recipe and Photo by Diana Smedley