# Argentinian food question **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 19, 2015, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argentinian-food-question/722909 "2015-06-19T00:33:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argentinian-food-question/722909/1 "2015-06-19T00:33:41Z")
I got a nice rib steak, and am planning to make steak with chimichurri for Mr Neville for Fathers Day. I’m not too familiar with Argentinian food, and I was wondering- what kind of sides would they be likely to serve with steak with chimichurri? We keep kosher, so anything we do will have to have no dairy, shellfish, or pork products. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argentinian-food-question/722909/2 "2015-06-19T00:40:51Z")
> **[Argentine cuisine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_cuisine)** > > Argentine cuisine is described as a cultural blending of cultures. From the Indigenous peoples of Argentina who focused on ingredients such as humita, potatoes, cassava, peppers, tomatoes, beans, and yerba mate, to Mediterranean influences brought by the Spanish during the colonial period. This led to cultural blending of criollos (gauchos and early Spanish settlers), Indigenous, and sub-Saharan African (due to slave trading) in the cuisine. Later, this was complemented by the significant infl... Red wine? Malbec or something. NB: some consider chimichurri inauthentic if made with cilantro as it’s supposed to be parsley. Make to your own taste, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Saturn\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Saturn\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saturn_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argentinian-food-question/722909/3 "2015-06-19T00:53:26Z")
I’ve only been to Argentina once but the traditional sides for steak with Chimichurri was some sort of roasted potatoes, (not mashed or salad), and a tomato or carrot salad. The main starch was some rice. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argentinian-food-question/722909/4 "2015-06-19T01:33:10Z")
Some morcilla (blood sausage) would be an authentic starting course - but that wouldn’t be kosher, I suppose… I guess there must have been some sort of side dishes served with the steaks I had in Buenos Aires, but they were literally unmemorable - it was really all about the meat. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argentinian-food-question/722909/5 "2015-06-19T14:12:17Z")
The sides will be much the kind of thing you’re used to already, potatoes, pasta, and rice are common starches, spinach, squash, salad greens, mushrooms, and many other vegetables are used. A type of grilled provolone is a common dish from the asado grill, but you won’t be serving that with meat. Argentine food is varied across regions, the asado grilled food is very well known but more of a weekend tradition now just like our own backyard barbecues. Steak with chimichurri is generally an asado dish so grilled or roasted vegetables would be typical as go alongs. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argentinian-food-question/722909/6 "2015-06-19T15:16:09Z")
Well, as Starship Troopers’ Johnny Rico (In the awful movie, not in the books) said “I’m from Buenos Aires” and usually a churrasco with chimichurri would be accompanied by an ensalada (salad) mixta (Lettuce, Onions and sometimes Tomato), but Papas Fritas (fries) is another option. Hope it helps. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argentinian-food-question/722909/7 "2015-06-19T15:43:37Z")
My wife says that the proper side dish is mashed potatoes.