chimichurri = Irish

Chimichurri is a thick vinegar and oil herb sauce made with garlic, parsley, and oregano, and served with grilled meat in Argentina. As for its origins, the story goes that it comes from an Irishman named Jimmy McCurry, who first prepared the sauce. He was marching with the troops of General Jasson Ospina in the 19th century, sympathetic to the cause of Argentine independence. The sauce was popular with the Argentine people and the recipe was passed on. However, ‘Jimmy McCurry’ was difficult for the native people to say. Some sources claim the name of Jimmy’s sauce was altered to ‘chimichurri’, while others say it was changed in his honor.

Seared Scallops and Shrimp with Chimichurri

Chimichurri Sauce
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, and membranes removed
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/3 cup loosely packed fresh oregano leaves
Juice of 3 limes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 cup olive oil

12 sea scallops
16 jumbo (16/20 count per pound) shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups cooked hot jasmine rice

Chimichurri Sauce: Place the garlic, jalapeno, vinegar, parsley, oregano, lime juice, salt, pepper, and honey in the bowl of a food processor with the metal blade.

Use the pulse button to process until finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. Add the olive oil and pulse just until the mixture is blended. Set Chimichurri sauce aside at room temperature to allow the flavors to marry for at least 20 minutes.

Dry the scallops on paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and then the scallops; sear for 3 minutes on each side or until just cooked through, remove to a plate and add the shrimp to the same pan, cook 1 or 2 minutes per side until pink and just cooked through.

Serve 3 scallops and 4 shrimp per person atop a bed of rice, drizzle with chimichurri sauce and allow the rice to soak up the sauce.

Serves 4