Argentinian Choripan with Saffron Chimichurri

About This Recipe

Choripan — grilled chorizo sausage split open and pressed into crusty bread with chimichurri — is Argentina's most iconic street food and asado (barbecue) starter, sold from carts outside football stadiums and served at every backyard grill gathering. The sausage itself is usually a fresh, coarsely ground pork chorizo, distinct from the cured Spanish version, grilled whole over hot coals until the casing crisps and the inside stays juicy. Saffron isn't a traditional ingredient in Argentine chimichurri, which is built on parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar and olive oil, but a small pinch steeped in warm vinegar before blending gives this version a subtle golden hue and a faint floral note that plays surprisingly well against the smoky sausage — an easy way to make a familiar sauce feel a little different without straying from its essential character. The technique that matters most is splitting the chorizo almost all the way through (a butterfly cut) before or during grilling, called a la mariposa, so it cooks faster and gets more direct char, then finishing it pressed flat on the grill for extra crispness before it goes into the bread.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4fresh pork chorizo sausages
• 4crusty baguette rolls(split)
• 1 cupfresh parsley(finely chopped)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 0.33 cupred wine vinegar
• 0.5 cupolive oil
• 1 pinchsaffron threads
• 0.5 tspred pepper flakes
• 0.75 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Bloom the saffron

   Warm the red wine vinegar gently (do not boil), add saffron threads, and let steep 10 minutes to release color and flavor.

2. 2

   Make the chimichurri

   Whisk parsley, garlic, oregano, the saffron vinegar, olive oil, red pepper flakes and salt together. Let sit at least 20 minutes for the flavors to meld.

3. 3

   Butterfly the chorizo

   Cut each sausage almost all the way through lengthwise, opening it flat like a book (a la mariposa).

4. 4

   Grill

   Grill the butterflied chorizo cut-side down over medium-high heat for 4 minutes, flip, and cook 3 to 4 more minutes until crisp and cooked through.

5. 5

   Toast the bread

   Toast the split rolls cut-side down on the grill for the last minute of cooking.

6. 6

   Assemble

   Place a chorizo in each roll and spoon a generous amount of saffron chimichurri over the top. Serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Skip the saffron for the classic, traditional Argentine chimichurri.

• •

  Use beef chorizo or Italian sausage if fresh pork chorizo isn't available.

• •

  Add a slice of provoleta (grilled provolone) alongside the chorizo for a richer sandwich.

Storage

Chimichurri keeps refrigerated in a sealed jar up to a week; the flavor actually improves after a day. Grilled chorizo is best eaten fresh, but leftovers reheat well in a hot skillet.

Frequently Asked Questions