Chimichurri Sauce for a Rio style feast

Get into the spirit of the 2016 Rio Olympics with a Brazilian style feast ready for watching the opening ceremony with friends and family. Fire up the barbecue and serve some zingy lime and coconut cocktails or a fresh fruity punch to get you in the Rio mood. You can even don your finest feather headdress for the full effect, why not, when else will your wear it?

Grilling and Barbecues

South American cuisines mainly feature grilled meats and barbecue styled cooking styles in recipes for this region. Grilling chicken with a zingy marinade or slices of succulent sliced steak is the key to a Rio style feast. You can try marinating your chicken overnight in lemon and garlic or lime before grilling for an authentic Rio taste. If you prefer prawns or fish you can also prepare them in a foil parcel with lemon or lime and garlic and steam on your grill or barbecue. You can try serving your flavoured meats and fish with a vegetable or fruity couscous or a traditional mix of rice and beans and a dressing of Chimichurri sauce. The recipe for this is below and is the perfect fiery sauce to serve with your grilled meats.

Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

•  3 Garlic cloves •  1 small onion •  ½ - 1 Red or Green Chilli (depending on your heat preference) •  4-5 Tbsp. of Olive Oil •  2 Tbsp. White Wine, Rice Wine or White Wine Vinegar •  Handful of Coriander •  Handful of Flat Leaf Parsley The bowl featured in this recipe is from the Sophie Conran collection.

Method

Place all of the ingredients into a food processor and blend well, then gradually add the oil and vinegar/wine. Season with a generous pinch of salt and serve with your succulent grilled meats. Grilling and barbecues don’t need to be reserved for meat only, grilled or fried bananas can add sweetness to a main dish or as a delicious dessert. Pineapple and mango can also be added to chicken kebabs for a contrasting taste combined with the meat or grilled for a fruity accompaniment to your dish for a taste sensation.