Garlic Chimichurri Cheese Bread Recipe

• 1 large bunch of curly parsley, chopped very small
• 12 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• juice of 1 lemon
• kosher salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tbsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 cup olive oil

Chimichurri Cheese Bread

• Ingredients:
• 1 loaf of Cuban bread (or another crusty loaf)
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup chimichurri sauce
• 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup grated whole-milk mozzarella
• 2-3 oz. crumbled Queso Blanco
• cracked black pepper

Chimichurri Sauce

• Mash the garlic with a pinch of kosher salt using a mortar and pestle or finely chop and press into a paste; set aside.
• Heat water, remove from heat, and add 1/2 cup hot water to a bowl. Stir in the dried oregano and crushed red pepper and let steep for at least 10 minutes.
• Chop the parsley very fine.
• Add the garlic paste to the parsley and chop them together so the flavors meld.
• In a large bowl combine the parsley-garlic mixture, the hot water with oregano and crushed red pepper, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
• Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
• Store the chimichurri in a mason jar in the refrigerator; use it whenever you like.

Chimichurri Cheese Bread

• Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
• Slice open the loaf lengthwise, keeping the bottom intact so it opens like a book.
• Place the loaf on a large sheet of foil. Spread butter over the cut surfaces, then evenly spread about 1/4 cup chimichurri sauce across the bread. Sprinkle with cracked black pepper.
• Wrap the loaf in foil and bake at 400°F for 10 minutes to warm through.
• Remove foil, open the bread, and top with mozzarella, crumbled Queso Blanco, and grated Parmesan. Add more cracked black pepper if you like.
• Return the unwrapped loaf to the oven at 400°F for about 10 more minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.
• Slice and serve hot—this makes a perfect side or a shareable appetizer.

• Parsley: Curly parsley works wonderfully here and can be more fragrant than flat-leaf parsley. If you only have flat-leaf, it will still be great—try both and see which you prefer.

• Garlic paste: Mash the garlic cloves with kosher salt for a bright, intense garlic flavor. This technique gives the chimichurri a richer garlic profile.