Palate Pleasures : Searching satori condiment: Chimichurri

Chimichurri is a condiment, sauce, marinade used in many Argentinian kitchens for all sorts of meals. Sunny Anderson is a new perky personality on the Food Channel that demonstrates and cooks fine recipes that transcend many national boundaries. I wanted to pair some chimmichuri with some BBQ brisket and chicken that I got when I did a BBQ judging in Lawrence, KS. I just wanted to add something to dishes so I went searching and found some more recipes. Sonny had one and there were several other good ones so I have placed them here for your review. I liked it and would rate it 9/10. I was interested to find other ones that might be even better. Listed below are ones that I hope to try soon and see if they are a “level above “ and give a great aha (satori).

chimichurri marinade:
Recipe courtesy Sunny Anderson, 2008

Ingredients
For the chimichurri marinade:

* 1 bunch fresh parsley, leaves only
* 1 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only
* 5 cloves garlic
* 1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
* 2 teaspoons hot paprika
* 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 2 pounds flank steak
* 12 (8-inch) flour tortillas
* Drunken Peppers, recipe follows

Directions

To make the chimichurri: In a food processor, add parsley, cilantro, garlic, hot paprika, vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil and salt and pepper and blend until smooth, Reserve half for drizzling on fajitas. Place remaining marinade in a resealable plastic bag and add steak. Coat well and marinate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Remove steak from marinade and discard marinade. Season steak with salt and pepper and grill over medium-high heat until cooked to medium-rare, about 6 minutes per side. Let steak rest for 10 minutes, loosely covered with aluminum foil, before slicing.

Meanwhile, warm tortillas on the grill. Slice the steak on the bias into thin slices. To serve, place meat on each tortilla and top with Drunken Peppers. Drizzle chimichurri sauce over the filling and form into a loose fold.

Drunken Peppers:

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 poblano peppers, seeded and cut into strips
* 2 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
* 2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
* 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and cut into strips
* 1 large onion, sliced
* Salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 bottle lager beer

In a large saute pan heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add peppers and onion. Season with salt and pepper and saute until softened and caramelized around the edges, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add beer and cover. Cook a few minutes more until the peppers and onion are tender.

Yield: 6 servings

:::

Mahogany Broiled Chicken with Smoky Lime Sweet Potatoes and Cilantro Chimichurri

Recipe courtesy 46th National Chicken Cooking Contest and Camilla Saulsbury, Bloomington, Indiana, 1st Place

Show: Food Network ChallengeEpisode: Challenge: $100,000 Chicken Challenge


1 cup chopped cilantro leaves

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon pepper, divided

5 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons bottled hoisin sauce

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice, divided

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut in 1-inch cubes

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon chopped canned chipotle pepper

1 teaspoon adobo sauce (from canned chipotle)

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

In a small bowl, mix together chopped cilantro, olive oil, minced garlic, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper; set aside.

In medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, mustard, hoisin sauce and vinegar. Reserve 2/3 of this mixture. To remainder, add 1/2 cup lime juice and stir in chicken; cover and refrigerate.



Place sweet potatoes in a heavy saucepan and cover with boiling water. Cook, covered, over medium-high heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking liquid, then drain potatoes in colander. Return potatoes to reserved cooking water and add butter, chipotle pepper, adobo sauce, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice, cumin, lime zest, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Mash potatoes.



Preheat the broiler. Thread chicken on 8 bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes. Broil about 6 inches from heat, basting with reserved mahogany sauce until done, about 8 minutes. To serve, divide potatoes among 4 plates; top each with 2 skewers of chicken and drizzle with cilantro chimichurri sauce. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

**

Grilled Lamb Chops with Tomato-Chimichurri Sauce and Crab & Corn Soup
Posted on January 27, 2009 by Destination Chefs, Filed u


I n t h i s e p i s o d e o f K e y W e s t C h e f s , s p o n s o r e d b y D C S b y F i s h e r & P a y k e l , C h a d R o b i n s o n f r o m F o s t e r s W i n e E s t a t e s d i s c u s s e s B e r i n g e r W i n e s w h i l e H o s t T i m C r e e h a n p r e p a r e s t h e r e c i p e s o f B e r i n g e r C o r p o r a t e C h e f , D a v i d F r a k e s : G r i l l e d L a m b C h o p s w i t h T o m a t o - C h i m i c h u r r i S a u c e a n d C r a b & C o r n S o u p .

I N G R E D I E N T S :

T o m a t o - C h i m i c h u r r i S a u c e :
4 g a r l i c c l o v e s
1 c u p f r e s h I t a l i a n p a r s l e y , l o o s e l y p a c k e d
1 c u p f r e s h c i l a n t r o , l o o s e l y p a c k e d
1 / 2 c u p f r e s h b a s i l , l o o s e l y p a c k e d
1 / 2 c u p r i p e t o m a t o , p e e l e d , s e e d e d , a n d c h o p p e d
2 t e a s p o o n s t o m a t o p a s t e
3 / 4 c u p + 2 t a b l e s p o o n s e x t r a - v i r g i n o l i v e o i l
1 / 4 c u p + 3 t a b l e s p o o n s r i c e w i n e v i n e g a r
2 t e a s p o o n s k o s h e r s a l t
1 / 2 t e a s p o o n f r e s h l y g r o u n d b l a c k p e p p e r
1 / 4 t e a s p o o n T a b a s c o s a u c e

G r i l l e d L a m b C h o p s :
6 g a r l i c c l o v e s , s l i c e d t h i n l y
2 t a b l e s p o o n s f r e s h m a r j o r a m o r o r e g a n o , c h o p p e d
1 t a b l e s p o o n f r e s h s a g e , c h o p p e d
3 b a y l e a v e s
3 t a b l e s p o o n s c o r n o i l
C o a r s e s a l t a n d f r e s h l y c r a c k e d p e p p e r t o t a s t e

8 l o i n l a m b c h o p s o r 8 r i b c h o p s , F r e n c h e d ( t r i m a l l f a t )

D i r e c t i o n s F o r T o m a t o - C h i m i c h u r r i S a u c e :

P l a c e g a r l i c , p a r s l e y , c i l a n t r o , b a s i l , t o m a t o , a n d t o m a t o p a s t e i n t o a b l e n d e r o r f o o d p r o c e s s o r a n d p u l s e t o i n c o r p o r a t e . A d d o i l a n d v i n e g a r a n d b l e n d f o r a t l e a s t 1 - 2 m i n u t e s , u n t i l s a u c e i s v e r y s m o o t h . A d d T a b a s c o a n d s e a s o n t o t a s t e w i t h s a l t a n d p e p p e r . S a u c e c a n k e e p r e f r i g e r a t e d f o r a f e w d a y s b u t i s b e s t w h e n s e r v e d r i g h t a f t e r p r e p a r a t i o n .

F o r L a m b C h o p s :
S t i r t o c o m b i n e g a r l i c , h e r b s a n d o i l . S e a s o n e a c h c h o p w i t h s a l t a n d p e p p e r a n d r u b e a c h g e n e r o u s l y w i t h h e r b m i x t u r e . P l a c e i n a p l a s t i c b a g o r c o v e r e d b o w l a n d r e f r i g e r a t e f o r 4 - 6 h o u r s , o v e r n i g h t i f p o s s i b l e . W h e n r e a d y t o g r i l l , r e m o v e l a m b f r o m r e f r i g e r a t o r a n d a l l o w m e a t t o c o m e t o r o o m t e m p e r a t u r e . R e m o v e l a r g e p i e c e s o f g a r l i c a n d h e r b s . P r e h e a t g r i l l . G r i l l l a m b o v e r m e d i u m - h i g h f l a m e f o r a b o u t 4 m i n u t e s p e r s i d e , t u r n i n g j u s t o n c e . T h i c k e s t p a r t o f c h o p s h o u l d r e a d 1 2 5 d e g r e e s t o 1 3 0 d e g r e e s f o r m e d i u m r a r e . T r a n s f e r t o a p l a t t e r a n d a l l o w c h o p s t o r e s t f o r 5 m i n u t e s . S e r v e w i t h c h i m i c h u r r i s a u c e e i t h e r d r i z z l e d o v e r t o p o r s e r v e d o n t h e s i d e . S e r v e s e i g h t .

C r a b & C o r n S o u p

I n g r e d i e n t s :
1 c u p ( a b o u t 5 o u n c e s ) p a n c e t t a , c u t i n t o 1 / 4 - i n c h d i c e
2 t a b l e s p o o n s o l i v e o i l
1 1 / 2 c u p s o n i o n , f i n e l y c h o p p e d
1 1 / 2 c u p s l e e k s , f i n e l y c h o p p e d
3 / 4 c u p c e l e r y , f i n e l y c h o p p e d
3 / 4 t e a s p o o n f e n n e l s e e d s
1 3 / 4 p o u n d s n e w o r r e d - s k i n n e d p o t a t o e s , p e e l e d a n d d i c e d i n t o Ω - i n c h c u b e s
4 c u p s g o o d - q u a l i t y c h i c k e n s t o c k
3 c u p s h a l f a n d h a l f o r w h o l e m i l k
3 c u p s c o r n k e r n e l s
2 t a b l e s p o o n s b u t t e r
1 / 2 p o u n d s e a s o n a l m u s h r o o m s ( c h a n t e r e l l e s , m o r e l s , o r c r i m i n i ) t h i c k l y s l i c e d
1 t a b l e s p o o n b a l s a m i c v i n e g a r
1 t e a s p o o n t h y m e
1 / 2 p o u n d c r a b m e a t
2 t a b l e s p o o n s p a r s l e y , c h o p p e d

D i r e c t i o n s : H e a t o i l i n a l a r g e p o t o v e r m e d i u m h e a t . A d d p a n c e t t a a n d s a u t È u n t i l c r i s p , a b o u t 8 m i n u t e s . T r a n s f e r t o a p l a t e l i n e d w i t h p a p e r t o w e l a n d a l l o w t o d r a i n . P o u r o f f a l l b u t 3 t a b l e s p o o n s o f t h e p a n d r i p p i n g s . A d d o n i o n , l e e k s , c e l e r y , a n d f e n n e l s e e d s t o p o t . S a u t e u n t i l v e g e t a b l e s a r e t e n d e r , a b o u t 5 m i n u t e s . S t i r i n p o t a t o e s . A d d c r e a m a n d s t o c k a n d s i m m e r - - s t i r r i n g o c c a s i o n a l l y - - a b o u t 1 0 m i n u t e s , u n t i l p o t a t o e s a r e a l m o s t t e n d e r . A d d c o r n a n d s i m m e r a n o t h e r 5 m i n u t e s o r s o , u n t i l p o t a t o e s b e c o m e t e n d e r . M e a n w h i l e , m e l t b u t t e r i n a s k i l l e t o v e r m e d i u m h e a t . A d d m u s h r o o m s a n d s a u t È u n t i l t e n d e r , a b o u t 5 m i n u t e s . S t i r i n v i n e g a r a n d t h y m e . A d d t h i s m i x t u r e t o t h e c h o w d e r . S e a s o n t o t a s t e w i t h s a l t a n d p e p p e r . S a u t e c r a b m e a t i n m u s h r o o m s k i l l e t o v e r m e d i u m h e a t u n t i l h e a t e d t h r o u g h , a b o u t 3 m i n u t e s . P l a c e a h e a p i n g t a b l e s p o o n o f p a n c e t t a a t b o t t o m o f e a c h s e r v i n g b o w l a n d l a d l e c h o w d e r o v e r . G a r n i s h w i t h c r a b m e a t a n d p a r s l e y . S e r v e i m m e d i a t e l y .