Sunday, July 28, 2013

Mixed Grill with Chimichurri (FM)

  • 1 or 2 eggplants, cut into thick slices
  • 2 cups fresh parsley (mostly leave, but thin stems are okay)
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for grilling
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or lemon juice [Again, I'm using sherry vinegar. I have it on hand.  Why not?]
  • 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
  • 2 portobellol mushrooms
  • 2 summer squash, cut lengthwise into thick slices
  • 4 ripe tomatoes, cored but left whole
  • 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or pork tenderloin, cut in half crosswise and pounded to 1/2 inch thick [latter]
  • 1 bunch scallions [nope]
Yeah, I tried to make chimichurri sauce in my low-end blender.  It didn't work.

Chimichurri is made from finely chopped parsley (an alternative version uses coriander), minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, and white or red wine vinegar. Additional flavorings such as coriander, paprika, cumin, thyme, lemon, and bay leaf may be included. In its red version, tomato and red bell pepper may also be added. It can also be used as a marinade for grilled meat. Chimichurri is available bottled or dehydrated for preparation by mixing with oil and water. Somewhat similar sauces are pistou and pesto.

Salt, pepper, oil, garlic, and a crazy amount of parsley.  Drizzle in more oil as the machine is running as well as sherry vinegar.

When it comes to grilling the actual food, it's pretty basically.  Olive, salt, and pepper.

Tenderloin and tomato.

Running up and down the stairs like mad while "hosting" a cookout party in my back yard was pretty exhausting, but I ate bits and pieces when I got the chance and was frankly well on my way to being full once all the cooking was done.
There's a splash of the romesco sauce as well.  My friends thoroughly enjoyed both sauces.  Chimichurri sauce is also a big winner though twice as much a headache because it has twice as much picked parsley in it.

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