My herb garden is prolific this time of the year and that means I regularly make chimichurri, a herb-heavy Argentinian pesto sauce. I serve it with grilled chicken and beef, slather it on pizzas, and add it to salad dressings. But I love, love, love using it as a marinade for fish when making fish tacos. With just the right blend of tangy and spicy, it does a beautiful job of seasoning the fish perfectly.
I also use a bit of it to dress chopped kale for a bright green taco addition. Add sliced avocado and Cotija or feta cheese and you have a beautiful way to serve tender, seasoned fish.
Some cilantro rice, chips & salsa verde, or even sliced watermelon all make lovely accompaniments to these quick and tasty tacos. Marinate the fish in the morning and you can have them on the table in 20 minutes once it's time to cook. Oh - and grab a beer, margarita, or mojito to enjoy alongside this meal that sings of summer. Enjoy!
Argentinian Fish Tacos
- 1 ½ c. fresh cilantro, stems trimmed
- 1 c. fresh flat leaf parsley, stems trimmed
- ½ c. extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ c. fresh oregano leaves
- ¼ c. fresh basil
- 2 T. rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. fresh lime juice
- 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 small hot pepper, seeded - choose a variety to suit your tastes for heat
- 1 lb. cod fillets
- 1 T. coconut oil
- 6 oz. chopped kale, stems removed
- 2 T. finely diced red onion
- 1 avocado, seeded, peeled & sliced
- 1 c. crumbled Cotija or feta
- Corn or flour tortillas, warmed
Combine the first 11 ingredients (cilantro through seeded hot pepper) in a food processor. Process until smooth. Remove ⅔ cup of the mixture and place in a resealable plastic bag. Put the remaining green sauce (chimichurri) in a resealable jar and refrigerate.
Add the cod fillets to the chimichurri sauce in the plastic bag and refrigerate for 2-8 hours.
When you are ready to cook, remove the fish from the refrigerator and heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet. Add the fish fillets with as much sauce as you can squeeze from the bag. Discard the bag. Cook the fish in the skillet until fully cooked, opaque, and flakey. Flake the fish into bite-sized pieces and place in a serving bowl.
While the fish is cooking, toss the kale and red onion with ¼ cup of the reserved chimichurri sauce. Save the remaining sauce for another use. Place the seasoned kale in a serving bowl.
Serve the kale and fish with sliced avocado and crumbled cheese on warm tortillas.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 20 minutes, plus marinating time