Chunky Salsa, my version of Pico. A perfect anytime salsa, that features all the bounties of fresh tomatoes. Salsa makin’ is such a good way to use up garden tomatoes that may be on the overripe side. I can’t seem to get enough of my super tasty Chunky Salsa this summer. I just can’t seem to get enough of this stuff, period. It’s a good thing that tomatoes are so very healthy; they are chock full of lycopene, a super antioxidant, which is also the source of the red color of the tomato. Do ya think that I’ll get less healthy stuff if I enjoy my Chunky Salsa with a beer? Of course not, only if you drink beer medicinally like I do. Smile.

Chunky Salsa aka Pico is a staple here. It’s great to serve up anytime with chips, quesadillas, tacos, and burritos. It doubles as a great marinade, or sauce and can be added to a variety of dishes to add a bit of kick. I love to serve it on top of fresh french or sourdough slices for a Spanish style bruschetta. You have seen it featured in my zesty kitchen, served atop many of my recipes. Just take a look at Chile Relleno Casserole and Grandma Taylor’s Tamale Pie. Oh yeah, my salsa, my salsasalsalsasals me salsa.

Chunky Salsa is truly tasty, and easy, plus it makes a perfect party or potluck food. Another reason to love? It can be adapted from muy caliente to mild range. I make my Chunky Salsa in a food processor, the only chopping involved is for some of the tomatoes. If you don’t have one you can easily just do it all by hand or try a blender – just be sure not to over process! The key to good Chunky Salsa is to keep it chunky (ya monkey) and mix it just enough to let the flavors mingle. Here it is super yummy, super Chunky Salsa.

Ingredients: 1 clove garlic, ½ red onion, 5 ripe Roma tomatoes, 1 large garden tomato, juice of ½ a lemon, 1-3 jalapeños, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper,

2 diced very ripe or overripe garden tomatoes,

1 Tablespoon Vinegar,

and 2 cups fresh cilantro with ¼ “stems left on. Set the diced tomatoes and cilantro aside for later.

In a food processor, pulse the clove of garlic until minced.

Quarter half of the red onion and pulse until chopped.

Careful not to over process!

These look to be about the perfect size

Remove the onion mixture from the food processor and set aside.

Quarter the Roma tomatoes and the remaining garden tomato.

Add or toss like this, Weeee!

the tomatoes to the food processor and pulse until chunky.

Pulse it and give it a quick whir.

Whir. Just be sure not to over process!

Add the vinegar,

lemon juice,

and add the onion mixture back in.

Now let’s heat it up, or not.  Grab your jalapeños and quarter. Make sure to remove the seeds and veins to temper the heat or leave ‘em in if you like it hot. Alternately, only add one for flavor without the heat.

Add the quartered jalapeños,

salt, pepper and

let’s not forget the cilantro.

Ready?

Set?

whir. Pulse just until it is all mixed up!

One last thing to do.

Make it chunky baby!

Add the salsa to the diced tomatoes, and

stir just until combined.

Want some Chunky Salsa?

With chips and beer anyone?

Yes PUH-LEAZE!

 Printable Recipe

Chunky Salsa

2 medium very ripe garden tomatoes, diced set aside
1 clove garlic
½ red onion, quartered
5 ripe Roma tomatoes, quartered
1 large very ripe garden tomato, quartered
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
½ lemon, juiced
1-3 jalapeños, seeded and de-veined
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper, fresh ground
2 cups cilantro, fresh with ¼” stems left on

In a large bowl add two diced very ripe or overripe garden tomatoes. Set aside. In a food processor pulse the garlic until minced. Add the quartered red onion and pulse until chopped. Remove the onion mixture from the food processor and set aside. Add the quartered tomatoes to the food processor and pulse until chunky. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, onion mixture, jalapeños, salt, pepper and cilantro. Pulse very lightly, mixing just until combined! DO NOT OVER PROCESS! Add the salsa to the diced tomatoes, and stir just until combined. Serve with chips, quesadillas, tacos, and burritos. Chunky Salsa is a must serve item with Chile Relleno Casserole and Grandma Taylor’s Tamale Pie. It can also be used as a marinade or sauce. Enjoy!

Chimi what? Yep, chimichurri all the way baby! Hands down the most requested and served meal around these parts. A juicy grilled flank steak get’s a kick of tangy Chimichurri sauce. Whoa. I’ll shimmy, I mean chimi, to that.

Chimichurri is a Latin American, “green” sauce, marinade or condiment. This herbal sauce originated in Argentina, but is popular throughout South America and Spain. The name “chimichurri” comes from two similar stories surrounding the green sauce and it’s unique name. According to Wikipedia, “All the stories share an English speaking colonist and the corruption of names or words by the local population.” Dare. Let’s play speed word. Rules: Say Chimichurri, 10X, as fast as you can. Whoa.
What a tongue twister!

This bright, tangy, and zesty sauce features lemon, limes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and lot’s of fresh parsley and cilantro. Chimichurri is a simple sauce; prepared like pesto in the blender or food processor. Super duper easy. It is loaded with garlic and herbs which is not only super tasty, but packed with vitamins and minerals plus Vitamin C thanks to my good friend parsley. I make this sauce like crazy and am dreaming of the day that some makes it into the freezer; even double batches are G-O-N-E. The only problem I have is that there never seems to be enough chimichurri. Chimi what? Churri my friend.

Chimichurri is simply THE BEST when paired with Grilled Flank Steak. It is the perfect condiment/marinade for meat, fish, vegetables and rice. Throw the marinaded Steak on the Q, or on your stove grille; left over steak is saved for “chimi style” tacos, or burritos. Double dare. Serve at summer parties, potlucks and BBQ’s if you want to be the most well loved dame in town.

Summer and Grilled Flank Steak w/Chimichurri Sauce. Ahh.

Ingredients: 3-4 cloves Garlic, ½ – 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, some fresh ground black pepper,

2 cups fresh Cilantro, 3 cups fresh Parsley, (leave 1 -1 ½ inch stems on the Parsley and Cilantro)

2-3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar, 2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, plus the juices from ½ lemon and ½ of a lime.

Grab some red wine out for the marinade. You’ll need just a tablespoon. Hmm, while it’s out I may as well pour a glass….

Let’s get the the Flank Steak (1 lb), nice and tender.

Begin by preparing the steak. Using a sharp knife, score the flank steak diagonally,

making a diamond pattern about 1/8 inches deep across the surface;

turn the steak over and repeat. Set the steak aside.

Let’s get our Chimmi on!

In a food processor or blender, pulse the garlic until it is minced.

Add the fresh parsley, and

cilantro. I leave 1 -1 ½ inch stems on both the parsley and the cilantro. Why?
Why not add more flavor and get the vitamins and minerals that reside in the stems.
Got it?

Good.

Add 2 tablespoons of both red wine vinegar and olive oil,

plus the juices from half of a lemon and lime, and

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Process in food processor or blender, until the mixture is coarsely combined, and the mixture resembles pesto.

Add the remaining vinegar, oil and red pepper flakes, pulsing just until combined.

Pour into a small serving bowl; reserve 3 Tablespoons of the Chimichurri sauce for the marinade.

Ready? Set? better grab that bottle of wine. Uh Oh. I only see about a Tablespoon left in my glass, ugh. Wait a second. I guess I’ll have to open another bottle, what a crying shame.
Grin.
Marinade on that.

Gather the prepared steak, reserved sauce and bottle of wine.

Using a small spoon, spread 1 ½ Tablespoons Chimichurri Sauce over one side of the meat,

pressing the sauce into the meat with the back of the spoon; repeat on other side.

Carefully place the steak in large plastic zip lock bag and

add 1 Tablespoon red wine, a sprinkle of garlic powder and the ground black pepper. Seal the ziplock bag and massage the marinade into the meat. Place in the refrigerator to marinate 2- 24 hours.

Allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking (this allows for more even cooking.)

Let’s get grilling! Grab your grille pan, or fire up your grill.

For a perfectly grilled flank steak:

Spray vegetable oil on a grille pan and heat on high.

Place the steak on the hot grille; turn down the heat just a bit, to medium/high.

Cook for 5 minutes;

turn over

and cook for another 5 minutes for a perfect medium (10 minutes total cook time) or cook to desired doneness.
Note: Flank steak is best served on the medium to medium rare side. The cooking time is always based on the size of the cut.

Remove from the grille,

and cover with foil. Let it rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking and lock in the juices.

Thinly slice the steak across the grain.

I am not an expert meat carver, as you can see by my NOT so thin slices.

It’s funny how Blue the expert meat carver was nowhere in site when I was cutting these slices.

It’s also funny how fast people show up at the table when you serve,

THIS.

Can you blame ‘em?

Grilled Flank Steak w/ Chimichurri Sauce speaks mouthfuls.

 Printable Recipe

Chimichurri Sauce

3-4 cloves Garlic, whole
2 cups fresh Cilantro
3 cups fresh Parsley
Leave 1 -1 ½ inch stems on the Parsley and Cilantro
½ Lemon, juiced
½ Lime, juiced
2-3 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
½ – 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

Pulse the garlic in a food processor or blender, until minced. Add the fresh parsley, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of both red wine vinegar and olive oil, the lemon and lime juice, plus the salt and pepper to taste. Process in food processor or blender, until the mixture is coarsely combined, and the mixture resembles pesto. Add the remaining vinegar, oil and red pepper flakes, pulsing just until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve; serve at room temperature. A delicious condiment, sauce and marinade for meat, chicken, fish, vegetables and rice. Yields about 1 cup. Recipe can be easily doubled; freezer compatible.

Grilled Flank Steak

1 lb Flank Steak

Marinade:
3 Tablespoons Chimichurri Sauce
1 Tablespoon Red Wine
Fresh coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
Sprinkle of garlic powder

Using a sharp knife, score the flank steak diagonally, making a diamond pattern about 1/8 inches deep across the surface; turn the steak over and repeat. Using a small spoon, spread 1 ½ Tablespoons Chimichurri Sauce over one side of the meat, pressing the sauce into the meat with the back of the spoon; repeat on other side. Carefully place the steak in large plastic zip lock bag and add 1 Tablespoon red wine, a sprinkle of garlic powder and the ground black pepper. Seal the ziplock bag and massage the marinade into the meat. Place in the refrigerator to marinade 2- 24 hours. Allow the meat to come to room temperature before cooking (this allows for more even cooking.)
For a perfectly grilled flank steak:
Spray vegetable oil on a grille pan and heat on high.
Place the steak on the hot grille; turn down the heat just a bit, to medium/high. Cook for 5 minutes; turn over and cook for another 5 minutes for a perfect medium (10 minutes total cook time) or to desired doneness. Note: Flank steak is best served on the medium to medium rare side. The cooking time is always based on the size of the cut.
Remove from the grille, and cover with foil. Cover the steak and let it rest for 5 minutes to finish cooking and lock in the juices. Thinly slice the steak across the grain.
Serve with Chimichurri Sauce and a smile. YUM!