Summer Entertaining – Oyster Cup & Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce

On a recent week-end we enjoyed the Argentinian cooking of the catering crew on the polo fields of the 2014 Oyster Cup benefiting the Emergency Fund for Breast Cancer.  The Cerro Pampa Polo Club has such a  beautiful setting and a very family friendly environment.    One of so many things to love about this event apart from the food is that after the polo matches everyone dances together.  Adults, kids of all ages, and a handful of dogs.  It is always so much fun for me, but I was pleasantly surprised this year to find that my teenagers still enjoyed going.  The afternoon also proved that you don’t need a kitchen to feed a large group of people.  Raw oysters, grilled meat and some chimichurri is all you need.

Argentina is known for high quality meats and they did not disappoint serving grilled steak and Chimichurri sauce with lots of crunchy bread and side salads to the hungry spectators and players on the polo field.   This dinner complimented the oyster bar that was open during the polo match.  Both the dinner and oysters were delicious.  No recipe required for raw oysters of course, but this is the recipe from the master’s at Food Network for Steak Gaucho-Style with Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce.  I make my own Chimichurri, but use whatever herbs I have on hand and love it with lots and lots of fresh basil from my garden and like it served over anything (see it over grilled chicken above).  Traditional chimichurri is comprised mostly of parsley, but like many things in life, chimichurri requires that you experiment a little to suit your own tastes.

Sydney’s Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1/2 cup cilantro

1/2 cup lightly flat leaf parsley

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium size shallot minced

1/4 teaspoon chille pepper flakes

1 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Juice of 1/2 of a lime (use other half for garnish)

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Wash and remove stems from herbs.  Then using a Bullet or food processor blend all ingredients until still a little bit chunky.  Serve immediately.  Store remaining sauce in an airtight container,  but note that this sauce will not last more than a few days and is best as soon as it is made.

ABOUT CERRO PAMPA POLO FIELDS

Cerro Pampa Polo Club, located in Petaluma, California, is a full-sized, fully-boarded Bermuda Grass Polo Field with and exercise track and on-site boarding. Cerro Pampa, made famous by the Oyster Cup Tournament enjoys a younger polo crowd with a laid back atmosphere. It’s a fun place to learn and play polo and is the San Francisco bay area’s only polo club.