Day: September 8, 2007

Well it sure has cooled down a bit here in San Diego…….so nice we decided to do some grilling. Well make that the Missus decided I needed to do some grilling. And wanted, "something different, and good for a change….."

This is what I came up with:

I went for sort of a South American theme, Quinoa Pilaf, with grilled (cheapo) Lamb Loin Chops with  Chimichurri and Salza Criolla, and grilled tomato. It came out much better than I thought it would, the Salsa Criolla, tasted exactly like the versions I’ve had in restaurants, and the Missus loved the Chimichurri as well.

Chimichurri

From what I understand, this popular South American sauce and marinade originated in Argentina, and in its most basic form consists of only 4 ingredients, parsley, garlic, olive oil, and salt, though you’ll find that no two recipes are alike. The version here is the base version with some adjustments adding ingredients we enjoy; garlic, onion, cilantro, and other stuff. As with most everything I cook, it is quite easy to make. Don’t be afraid of the amount of garlic…..really!

Chimichurri

1 Bunch Flat Leaf(Italian Parsley)
1 Bunch Cilantro
1 Bulb Garlic(yes, a whole bulb)
1-3 Jalapeno Peppers
1 Small Sweet Onion
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup White Wine Vinegar
2 Tsp Dried Oregano
1 Tb Brown Sugar
Salt and Pepper to Taste.

Combine parsley, cilantro, garlic, onion, and jalapeno in a food  processor, pulsing to chop fine.

Add oregano, brown sugar, and vinegar, and with processor going, add olive oil.

Taste and add salt and pepper.

Refrigerate for about an hour to allow flavors to meld. You can use as a sauce or marinade.

Peruvian Sarza(Salsa) Criolla

This is a wonderfully salty and tart onion salad, that the Missus loves. I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to make it, and it turned out to be very easy. As a base, I used the recipe from Copeland Marks  cookbook, The Exotic Kitchens of Peru, and added an additional step(salt and rinse), and changed some of the amounts. One of the items that really makes this recipe tick, is the Aji Amarillo. Aji Amarillo, which means, "yellow chile pepper", is actually orange in color when ripe. It is the most used pepper in Peruvian cooking. The version that I obtained was previously par-boiled, and frozen, but still had a nice amount of heat….I guess if I was a better writer I’d call it "piquant"…….

Salsa Criolla

1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
2 Tsp Aji Amarillo, seeded, and deveined, chopped
1/4 Cup fresh squeezed lime juice(or to taste)
2 Tb Chopped Cilantro leaves
Salt to taste

Add 1/2 tsp Salt to red onion slices and let rest for 5-10 minutes.

Rinse onion and drain well.

Mix all ingredients. We enjoy our Salza Criolla nice and cold, so we refrigerate for a few minutes before serving.

So easy, huh?

Jamillah Garden closes

Last weekend we were driving up Convoy, and noticed that newspapers were taped over the windows at Jamillah Garden.

I drove into the parking lot and walked into the restaurant where tables were being disassembled. I asked the Young Man if Jamillah Garden was being renovated, or were they closing. His answer? "We are permanently closed." Too bad…..the food was somewhat inconsistent, but Jamillah Garden was the only Muslim Chinese Restaurant in San Diego.

Previous posts on Jamillah Garden here and here.