Magic Sauce
I call this magic sauce. In part, because it makes everything it touches shimmer with deliciousness. Its magic like that. Technically, it's a riff on a chimichurri sauce - one that veered off the rails in a big way. Much tweaking has rendered it a distant second cousin. If that. In fact, the hallmark of that sauce, parsley, I skip entirely. But I love this. Love love love. And I use it a hundred different ways.
I call this magic sauce. In part, because it makes everything it touches shimmer with deliciousness. Its magic like that. Technically, it's a riff on a chimichurri sauce - one that veered off the rails in a big way. Much tweaking has rendered it a distant second cousin. If that. In fact, the hallmark of that sauce, parsley, I skip entirely. But I love this. Love love love. And I use it a hundred different ways.
- Carbohydrate 2.12691312515215 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 13.1167016775548 g
- Fiber 0.706400010101204 g
- Protein 0.344105416666472 g
- Saturated Fat 1.82601450149761 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (22g)
- Sodium 110.120895833501 mg
- Sugar 1.42051311505095 g
- Trans Fat 0.381108416959213 g
- Calories 123 calories
Step-by-step
- Gently warm the olive oil over medium-low heat in a skillet or pan until it is just hot. When hot remove from heat.
- While the oil is heating, lightly pound the rosemary, thyme and oregano in a mortar and pestle.
- Stir the paprike, garlic, bay leaf, red pepper flakes and salt into the oil. Then add the brised herbs and lemon juice.
- You can use it now, but know...the oil just gets better as it ages over a few days. Keep it in a refrigerator for up to a week/ten days. It thicksn up when cold, so if you need it in a liquid state, placed it in te sun or in a warm place for a few minutes.
Ingredient lists rarely convey temperature mechanics. Warming extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat until just hot alters its viscosity and prepares it to accept fat-soluble compounds without scorching the delicate garlic paste. Crushing the rosemary, thyme, and oregano in a mortar and pestle ruptures cell walls to release essential oils into the lipid medium efficiently.
Dry spices such as sweet paprika, crushed bay leaf, and red pepper flakes bloom when introduced to warm fat. This thermal activation disperses capsaicin and carotenoids throughout the mixture. Acidity from fresh lemon juice introduces a contrasting aqueous phase, balanced by sea salt to enhance overall perception on the palate.
Storage conditions dictate texture and longevity. Refrigeration for up to ten days causes the olive oil to solidify partially due to saturated fat content, requiring a brief period in a warm environment to restore fluidity before serving.
Chimichurri traditions traditionally rely on fresh parsley as a primary botanical base. This variant discards that leafy green entirely, shifting flavor profiles entirely toward dried aromatics and warm spices infused directly into the oil.
