Lightened Up Chimichurri Like Sauce

Posted: April 1, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , | 9 Comments

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I hate wasting things, especially yummy tasting healthy things like Cilantro Stems and half bunch of flat leaf parsley so making them into sauces is the perfect answer.

 

Chimichurri sauce is originally from Argentina where the spicy bright green condiment was used on grilled meats.  It is very versatile and can be put on fish, chicken, and steak inside an omelet or as a dressing. I also love to roll a grilled ear of corn in it.

 

You can use any combination of green herbs and make it as spicy as you like by adding more or less jalapenos.  I dramatically cut back the amount of olive oil normally used in a chimichurri, which just makes the flavors that much more concentrated.

 

Big handful of Cilantro stems and what ever leaves are left on

Big handful of flat leaf parsley and the stems

6 cloves of garlic

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded

2 T. Sherry vinegar

2 T. Lime juice

1 T. olive oil

Salt and pepper

 

Throw everything in the food processor or blender and whirl it up into a liquid.  Make sure that everyone at the table eats it so everyone has garlic breath.

 

I put any leftover into the mini muffin tin and freeze it in.  Pop the little disks out of the muffin tin and put them in a zip lock bag so you have individual servings next time you are craving it.

Red Wine Vinegar Chicken

Posted: July 27, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , , | 3 Comments

 

This is the worst picture of the best dish you will ever eat.  To top it off it is easy to make.  Don’t be shocked by the amount of vinegar, just go with it.  The acid breaks down the chicken and gives it a tang that is addicting.  You can make it with the skin on if you are a person who does not have to watch your figure, but honestly this version is so good you won’t even miss the skin.

 

 

10 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

10 minced garlic cloves

1 cup of red wine vinegar

1/2 cup of chicken stock

1 can of chopped tomatoes

Handful of fresh thyme- tied with a kitchen string

4 bay leaves

Salt & pepper

Pam

 

 

Heat a Dutch oven on the stove on medium high heat. (That’s a heavy cast iron pan with a tall straight sides and a lid.  I use a Le Cruset.) Spray the inside of the pot with Pam and add half the chicken thighs in one layer.

 

Cook for about 4 minutes; you just want them to get a little color.  Flip them over and repeat on the other side.  Remove those thighs from the pan and keep on a plate on the side.  The chicken is not cooked through yet.  Spray the pot with more Pam and cook the other half of the chicken the same way.

 

After you have cooked all the chicken and it is out of the pot, add the garlic to the pan and cook for one minute, stirring often.  Add your vinegar, keeping your face away from the pot when you do it so you don’t choke on the acidic cloud you will create.  Add the tomatoes, stock, herbs and chicken back in the pot.

 

Cover and bring the contents to a boil and then reduce to simmer for about 10 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the pot the best you can, leaving everything else in there.  Bring the liquid back up to a boil and reduce the sauce with the lid off.  I like to mash it all down with a potato masher to break up the tomatoes.  It will take about 15 minutes to reduce it to a sauce like consistency.

 

Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Green Onion-Ginger Sauce on Chicken

Posted: June 14, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Recipes | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

My friend Dottie showed me her favorite recipe for a green onion and ginger sauce served with noodles.  Since I have basically given up noodles I decided it might be good on chicken.  I modified it by removing most of the oil since it was not needed for flavor.

10 green onions – both white and green parts chopped into ½ inch pieces

½ cup minced fresh ginger root

1 T. white wine vinegar

2 t. low sodium soy sauce

1 t. canola oil

Pinch of sea salt

Boneless, skinless Chicken cut up

Mix all the ingredients except the chicken and put them in a container in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Spray Pam in non-stick fry pan and cook the on medium high heat for a few minutes on each side.  Spoon some sauce on chicken while still hot and eat!!

The sauce can be kept in refrigerator for a couple of days.