We eat a lot of steak in our household. We love to garnish our steaks with a homemade Chimichurri. Chimichurri packs a punch when it comes to micronutrients and polyphenols. Chimichurri is loaded with nutrients such as calcium, carotenoids, iron, Vitamin A and and Vitamin C (from the parsley) and calcium, fiber, iron, Vitamin E and Vitamin K (from the oregano), as well as heart-healthy garlic and polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil.
Interestingly enough, ancient cultures have always utilized herbs (parsley, dill, basil, oregano, sage, coriander, rosemary, marjoram, tarragon, bay, thyme, and mint) to aromatize meat and improve the flavor, but many of these herbs are high in polyphenolic compounds (extremely high in anti-oxidants) which help to neutralize free radicals that may be released when smoking or over-charring meat. Many of these herbs contain anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, this is probably why many cultures have always used these herbs when cooking meat in particular (before we had refrigeration).
"Spicy and aromatic plants have been used in human consumption for thousands of years (since around 5000 BC). Initially, they played an important role in primary care, being used as therapeutic agents in the treatment of various diseases; however, wider applications are reported today [1]. Over time, spicy and aromatic plants began to be used around the world in various foods to flavor them, but also for preservative purposes. These plants are considered an untapped reservoir of valuable substances, also called phytochemicals, phytogenic, phytobiotics, botanicals or spices, although they are not established as essential ingredients" (Marc Vlaic RA, Mureșan V, Mureșan AE, Mureșan CC, Tanislav AE, Pușcaș A, Marţiș Petruţ GS, Ungur RA. Spicy and Aromatic Plants for Meat and Meat Analogues Applications. Plants (Basel). 2022 Apr 1;11(7):960. doi: 10.3390/plants11070960. PMID: 35406940; PMCID: PMC9002745).
Get comfortable with using herbs in the kitchen. They are immensely beneficial for your health. I also recommend marinating your meat prior to cooking with herbs such as Thyme, which is extremely high in polyphenolic compounds as Quercetin, Ferulic Acid, Syringic Acid, Caffeic Acid and Rosmarinic (preventive against Alzheimer's disease, anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic properties).
What you'll need:
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Food processor
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 Finely chopped Organic Parsley
3-4 Cloves of Organic Garlic
1 Organic Red Chili (de-seeded) or Red Pepper Flakes
3/4 Teaspoon dried Organic Oregano
1 Teaspoon sea salt
Pepper to taste
Directions:
Place all ingredients (besides the Olive Oil) into a food processor and blend until all ingredients appear finely chopped and integrated.
Remove ingredients from food processor and place in a bowl.
Add in the EVOO to the mixture and blend together with a spoon.
Recommend using as a garnish with steak.
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