Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Chimichurri/Argentinian Lamb





This lamb dish is hubby's favourite at Copacabana, a restaurant very near to our place in Pimple Saudagar, Pune. Not only is their food very tasty, but the menu is also extensive (somebody pls categorise the dishes according to cuisine...Lal gosht shares the same page as Quesadillas and Thai green curry!!) and the seating area is huge along with ample parking space. What else does one wish for in a restaurant?!!:)The first time we'd dined there, hubby had randomly picked out this lamb dish for ordering. He liked it so much, that whenever we go there now, atleast ten more times after the first time, he always orders this dish!

Yes, the dish is v nice..lamb is soft and succulent with nice spices, served on a bed of spinach, along with sauteed mushrooms and herbed rice. We were so impressed by this adaptation of the Chimichurri lamb, that I decided to recreate it in my kitchen. I googled for the recipe, and learned that Chimmuchuri is a green spicy rub, made primarily with parsley, and is meant for marinating steak. I tweaked the recipe and ingredients according to availability and my taste, and made this.

The basic chimichurri marinade is made by blending the following ingredients into a thick paste (more like a dhania chutney):

1/2 cup coriander/parsley leaves

1/4 cup olive oil (check how much is required to blend into a thick paste)

4-5 cloves garlic

2 green onions/shallots

1 tsp fresh/dried herbs like oregano or basil

1/2 tsp chilly flakes

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

2 tsp vinegar/lime juice

salt to taste

I marinated my lamb pieces in this paste for 2-3 hours and then cooked it in a little oil and browned onions, till cooked and tender.

I served this with cooked spinach greens and sauteed mushrooms (simply saute sliced mushrooms in a little butter, with black pepper and salt).

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