Dress up those grilled steaks and fish

 

I am a big fan, as you probably have guessed, of what I call American cooking. That’s a food type hard to define, with so many cuisines having blended together to create the foods we eat daily, from spaghetti to stir-fry to meatloaf. When I think of American food, I think of the things I grew up on in the fifties—tuna casserole, salmon cakes, mac and cheese, roast beef, and fried chicken. But I try to be open to the influx of new flavors and dishes that has dramatically changed the face of American cooking in the last decade or more, bringing contributions from South America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Two that I guess would fall into the category of condiments are kimchi and chimichurri.

I have to confess I have never tried kimchi, though I’ve read a lot about it and the word that sticks in my mind is “fermented.” Kimchi comes from Korea where it is a side dish usually served with rice. It is vegetables, principally Napa cabbage, which is salted, fermented, and seasoned to taste—for instance with onion, garlic, ginger, and a couple of things I know nothing about: gochugaru (Korean red pepper—I’m leery already!) and jeotgal (salted and preserved seafood of various varieties). I love sauerkraut, which is the German version of fermented cabbage, so I ought to like kimchi (maybe without the jeotgal, though I’m a seafood lover).

In addition to a side dish with rice, kimchi is used in soups and stews. I’ve even read of sandwiches incorporating it—grilled cheese comes to mind. Kimchi is not any one flavor—it depends on the label if you buy it or seasonings you use if you make it. I suspect you have to experiment with taste to find what you like. The internet offers an infinite variety of products and ideas. Let me know if you like it.

Chimichurri comes from South America, is made with parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and

flakes of chili pepper, and is traditionally used on grilled meat or fish. The internet has countless recipes for chimichurri, but you can also buy it is most grocery stores. I much prefer the homemade version. Here’s a recipe that we fixed with a marinated skirt steak. Next to the sauce recipe, in Jordan’s writing, it says, “Love” with a big arrow.

Chimichurri sauce

1 cup fresh parsley (use Italian flat-leaf)

1 cup fresh cilantro

¼ cup olive oil

½ medium onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced      

3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Optional pinch of red pepper flakes.

Blend ingredients until smooth in food processor.

Some time ago I made a green sauce that was a simplified American version of chimichurri or green salsa without the peppers (that’s important to me). I served it on grilled salmon, but you could also use it on grilled meats or in soups or stews. This too is quick and easy and is a great way to use up leftover bits of herb bunches.

Green sauce

1 cup fresh tender green herbs – parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, or use non herb flavorful greens such as celery leaves, arugula, watercress, fennel, etc.

½ cup red wine vinegar

¾ cup olive oil

1 tsp. kosher salt

3 garlic cloves, grated (use a micro plane if you have it)

1 shallot, finely chopped

You can chop the herbs by hand or use a food processor. Add other ingredients and blend.

Summer, when the grill is in frequent use is a great time to experiment with these two condiments.