How to Make Chimichurri

After a couple weeks hiatus, the Sunday Supper series is back! I’m currently in Naples, FL at my parents house. My sister flew in from San Francisco to visit as well. We both like to cook, so we tag-teamed supper last night.

After a day of outlet shopping, we hit up the grocery store to pick up some food for supper- steaks with chimichurri, baked sweet potatoe fries, spinach salad and some ice cream.

You may remember from this post, but while in Buenos Aires, Luke and I took a cooking class to learn how to make Chimichurri- a sauce Portenos use to top their meat. It’s really easy to make and has a complex flavor profile that brings meat to life.

Here’s what you’ll need:

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– equal parts minced garlic, parsley and scallion

– one part red wine vinegar to two parts canola oil (olive oil works too, but then you can’t keep it very long because the oil congeals)

– a tablespoon ( or more depending on how much you make) of the following spices: dried oregano, paprika and red pepper flakes.

– Miz everything together and season liberally with salt and pepper.

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To make sure everything tastes right, I usually dip some bread into the mixture to try it out. When it’s ready, spread it across your choice of meat and you’ve got a delicious, spicy, tangy sauce that beats A-1 anyday!

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When sealed and refrigerated, chimichurri can last for 6+ months. I’d recommend making one big batch and keeping it in the fridge for anytime your meat dish needs a little awakening.

I hope you enjoy!

Sunday Supper Series- Broiled Tilapia Parmesan and Green Beans

At least once a week – usually on Sunday nights- I’ll cook supper for Luke. It’s our time to relax, reflect on the previous week and eat a home-cooked meal. I am by no means a “chef” or “foodie” and the meals I make almost always come from a recipe. Regardless of my lack of professional training or high-brow taste, the food I make is usually delicious, easy to prepare and gets rave reviews from my man.

I’ve decided to start a weekly post called the “Sunday Supper Series” to share what I cooked for Luke that week and what we thought of it. Hopefully I can give you guys some ideas of recipes you can make for your friends, family or significant other that don’t involve difficult cooking techniques or a million ingredients.

For the first installment of the Sunday Supper Series, I made broiled tilapia parmesan with green beans. The tilapia recipe came from allrecipes.com and is insanely delicious while being super easy to make. It took me less than 15 minutes to whip together.

Broiling the parmesan mixture on the fish makes for a crispy, cheesy, tangy crust that compliments the fish perfectly. I’m not a huge fish person, but the cheese mixture hides any “fishy-ness” while complimenting the taste of the tilapia. Luke’s response? “This is REALLY good.”

I paired the fish with some steamed green beans that I sauteed in some butter, salt & pepper and a dash of cayenne pepper before serving. If you haven’t tried cayenne on your green beans, DO IT! It adds this slightly spicy after-taste that I adore.

Here are some pictures along with the full recipe. Enjoy!

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Broiled Tilapia Parmesan- (recipe via AllRecipes.com)

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
  • 2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven’s broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
  3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.