Chimichurri Venison Pesto Pasta

Chimichurri is an Argentine dipping sauce.  Some have  said that “Argentinians put it on everything.”  We have discovered that it goes great on pasta, in place of a pesto sauce.  Fry up a few strips of deer (venison) steak and serve on top of the pasta and pesto, with some grated Pecorino Romano cheese.

Here is my personal favorite recipe for authentic chimichurri sauce. You can mix it all together but I prefer to go through a 3-step process while preparing the sauce.

1/2 Cup Olive Oil (For a more mellow flavor use a neutral flavored oil)
1/4 Cup Red Wine Vinegar or Sushi Vinegar
1/4 Cup Water
1 small bunch flat leaf-parsley; chopped (should equal about 1/2 cup)
1 medium onion; finely chopped
4 cloves garlic; finely minced
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon paprika
1 Tablespoon coarse salt
1 Teaspoon ground black pepper
hot chili flakes to taste

Add all of the ingredients except the oil and vinegar into an electric blender and toss well to make sure that the salt is spread evenly around the ingredients. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Next add the vinegar and water. Mix well. Allow to rest for 30 minutes.

Finally add the oil and mix well in an electric blender. Make sure that the liquids cover the rest of the ingredients. If not add equal parts of oil, water, and vinegar until they are covered at least by a quarter of an inch. Transfer to a non-reactive clean bowl or jar that can be covered. Make sure to cover well. Place in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend overnight. For better results prepare at least 2 or 3 days ahead of time. If refrigerated, allow sauce to sit at room temperature for at least an hour or until the oil (if congealed) thins out, before serving.