Zimmy's Nook

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Chimichurri

Grilled Chimichurri Lamb Chops with Griddled (Spanish’ish) Rice & Veggies

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A top down image of a round platter of grilled lamb lollipops served over mixed vegetable rice and pomegranate arils.

Grilled Chimichurri Lamb Chops with Griddled (Spanish’ish) Rice & Veggies.

This meal is perfect for outdoor get-togethers. All the prep is done ahead of time, so you are not hidden away in the kitchen. Then you spend 15 minutes at the grill while still interacting with your guests.

Start with cooking the onions for the rice, then after you add the other vegetables, throw on the lamb. While the lamb rests, finish up the rice and enjoy!

Ingredients
  • 12-16 lamb chops (from the rack) frenched and trimmed of all but thin layer of fat
  • 1 1/4-1 1/2 cups Chimichurri (recipe here) – divided
  • Flavoured rice (recipe here)
  • 2 lemons cut into halves
  • Maldon salt (or kosher salt)
  • Chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish
Preparation

Place chops in a resealable bag and pour about half of the chimichurri into the bag. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag then massage & move the chops until evenly coated. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight. 

Reserve the other half of chimichurri in a well sealed jar to served with finished meal.

Remove the lamb from the fridge 20 minutes prior to cooking.

Preheat your grill on high heat for direct heat grilling.

With the grill lid open, sear the chops on both sides, about a total of 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a platter, tent with foil and let rest for 3 or 4 minutes. 

Place the lemons, cut side down, on the grill for about 1 minute, turn 90°, and grill for about a minute more. Remove lemons to platter with lamb.

Place the grilled chimichurri lamb chops on the rice and garnish with chopped cilantro (or parsley) and pomegranate arils. Serve with grilled lemon halves, Maldon salt and reserved chimichurri.

Note: the sear zone on my grill gets extremely hot, so after preheating the grates, I turn this grill down to medium. Most grills I would leave on high. The goal is to get some nice crispy charred bits on the lamb, so some of the chops may get removed at 3 1/2 minutes, while others get left for 4 1/2 minutes.

An open grill with lamp chops, lemons and vegetable being cooked.

Chimichurri

Ingredients
  • 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (seeds optional)
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
  • ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation

Combine jalapeño, shallot, garlic, vinegar, and salt in a medium bowl. Let sit 10 minutes.
Then stir in cilantro, parsley, and olive oil.

Griddled (Spanish’ish) Rice and Veggies

Ingredients
  • 2 cups (Spanish’ish) Rice, precooked and cooled in the fridge for at least 1 hour (Either packaged Spanish flavoured rice, or recipe here)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium size red onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 orange (or yellow) bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 medium size cauliflower, cut into small florets
  • 1 bunch of broccolini (or 1/2 a broccoli), cut into small florets
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • Salt & pepper
Preparation

Preheat the griddle over medium heat. Add the olive oil, turn the heat down to low, add the onions, season with a sprinkle of salt and cook slowly for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Raise the heat to medium-high, add the rest of the vegetables, season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are beginning to warm through. Increase heat to high, add in the butter, and stir until melted. Immediately add the rice and stir until combined. Cook for 4-5 minutes to fry the rice, stirring occasionally. Let the rice rest for a bit between stirs so that it can crisp up a little on the bottom. Once rice is heated through, pile on platter and serve).

Note: Use cold rice. Make it the night before or after cooking up a fresh batch of rice, spread it out on a baking sheet or another large flat pan, then pop it in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Flavourful (Spanish’ish) Rice

This flavorful rice recipe goes with almost any dinner! Or use it as a topping for tacos or burritos or in a taco bowl!

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cups white rice
  • 2 teaspoons Spanish paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 2 cups chicken broth – no salt or reduced sodium (see Note below)
  • 2 cups tomato passata (see Note below)
Preparation

In a medium saucepan set over medium heat, melt together olive oil and butter.

Add rice and stir to coat with oil/butter. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 to 3 minutes, until rice is toasted. Add the spices and stir to coat rice.

Stir in chicken broth and tomato passata. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally (scrape the bottom to ensure rice is not sticking). Stir well, reduce heat to low, place lid on pot, and cook at a gentle simmer for time indicated on your specific rice (10-20 minutes) If rice is not quite tender or liquid is not absorbed after suggested cooking time, replace lid, and cook for 2 to 4 minutes longer. Remove from heat, leave covered, and allow to rest for a few minutes.

Fluff rice with a fork and serve.

Note: The amounts of liquid and the cooking time for this recipe should be considered guidelines. Follow the directions on your bag of rice to determine how much liquid to a use (per 1 cup of rice) and how long to cook when you make your Flavoured Rice.

The combined total of broth & passata should equal the amount indicated on the package.)

A close up image of a round platter of grilled lamb lollipops served over mixed vegetable rice and pomegranate arils.

Hope you enjoy my Grilled Chimichurri Lamb Chops with Griddled (Spanish’ish) Rice & Veggies recipe! I would love to hear your feedback if you tried this recipe in the “comment box” below!

Have a delicious day! James (aka Zimmy)

This meal was grilled on my Hestan Outdoor 36″ Grill on Tower Cart in Pacific Fog.

Proud Hestan Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.

Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri

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Platter filled with slice flank steak beef, corn, potatoes, skewered veggies and chimichurri sauce.
In Partnership with Canada Beef

Grilled flank steak with chimichurri, grilled local corn, peppers & onions, roasted potato wedges, purple slaw, marinated onions, grilled toast, and Stilton cheese.

I am happy to have the opportunity to partner with Canada Beef and create a delicious grilled meal, including this tender, flavourful and satisfying flank steak.

As you know, Elaine and I believe, a healthy diet is one that contains mostly whole, fresh foods: lots of fruits and vegetables, high fibre grains and lean proteins – including red meat.

Beef is rich in nutrients and protein, yet low in calories, but above all we just love the taste of it!

So, get out there and grill this crowd-pleasing flank steak! Then post a mouth-watering image of it on Instagram and tag #MyCanadianBeef ! (and @zimmysnook)

Summer isn’t over, until I stop wearing sandals, so grill on my friends!

GRILLED FLANK STEAK

Ingredients
  • 2 – 2.5 lbs Canada Beef Flank Steak
  • 1 tsp horseradish
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp sweet & smoky mustard
  • 1 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
Preparation

In a blender, combine the horseradish, garlic, mustard, honey, rosemary, oregano, vinegar, and puree until the garlic is minced. Add the oil and blend until creamy.

Crosshatch the top of the steak to help with the absorption of the marinade and develop better char when grilling. Run your knife diagonally across the surface of the steak, in a diamond pattern. Make the slices about ¼ inch deep, and space them roughly ¾ inch apart.

Add the meat to a resealable bag and pour in all the marinade; turn the meat to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours.

Remove the steak from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to grilling. Preheat the grill on high. (If your grates have just been cleaned or have a habit of sticking, oiling the grates is a good idea, as the honey may stick). Remove the steak from the marinade, let the excess marinade drip off.

Season the steak with kosher salt & freshly ground

Grill the steak over medium-high heat, turning once, then flipping, then turning again, until charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 125-130° F, total cooking time 8-12 minutes.

Transfer the steak to a carving board and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Thinly slice the meat against the grain and serve.

Grilled Corn on the Cobb and Pepper & Onion Skewers

Ingredients
  • 1 green pepper, washed, seeded & cut into 12 equal pieces
  • 1 yellow pepper, washed, seeded & cut into 12 equal pieces
  • 1 red pepper, washed, seeded & cut into 12 equal pieces
  • 1 small red onion, cut into 16 pieces, the same size as the peppers
  • 4 small skewers (if using wood presoak for at least one hour)
  • 4 fresh corn, husked, rinsed, and dried
  • Salt, freshly ground pepper & olive oil
Preparation

Thread 3 green peppers onto a skewer, followed by 2 onions, 3 red peppers, 2 onions, and 3 yellow peppers. Repeat for the other skewers,

Place the corn & peppers on a platter or sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt & pepper. Set aside.

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Grill the corn, turning the ears often so they cook evenly, until lightly charred, about 10-12 minutes.

Place the skewers on the grill turning every 2 minutes until done lightly charred and softened, about 8-10 minutes

CHIMICHURRI

Ingredients
  • 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (seeds optional)
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
  • ¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation

Combine shallot, chile, garlic, vinegar, and salt in a medium bowl. Let sit 10 minutes.

Then stir in cilantro, parsley, and olive oil.

Serving Notes

I like to serve my Canada Beef Flank Steak ‘family style’, so everyone can take as much or as little as they would like! Start by placing the sliced steak in the center of a larger platter or sheet pan, then add a bowl of the chimichurri, the corn, and skewers. I love onions with steak, so I have included a bowl of marinated onions (recipe link). Then round out the platter with your favourite potatoes (roasted, boiled, mashed or fries), an aioli for the potatoes, fresh tomatoes, hot peppers (optional), a simple coleslaw, and Maldon salt (so good sprinkled on Beef!)

Enjoy!

Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with Canada Beef to create this Canada Beef Flank Steak recipe. Opinions in this post are my own. 

Grilled Tri-Tip with Chimichurri

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Tri-tip steak sliced on a wooden board with a large knife. Bowl of chimichurri and a bowl of salt.
Grass fed tri-tip with chimichurri.

My first tri-tip.
My son and his girlfriend came over for dinner and she requested red meat so grilled tri-tip with chimichurri was on the menu!
This local, grass fed tri-tip was dry rubbed, cooked for 70 minutes at 225°F, then rubbed with a freshly made chimichurri and flash seared.
I believe the beef and chimichurri received two thumbs up each!
I’ll have to pick up another tri-tip soon!

Ingredients
  • Tri-Tip (2 1/2 – 3 pounds)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoons black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup chimichurri + more for serving (recipe below)
Preparation

Combine salt, pepper, sugar, garlic powder, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl.

Trim off the hard, thick layer of fat, leaving a thin layer of softer fat. Score the remaining fat without cutting through to the meat.

Coat the meat all over with the spice rub. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate 4-24 hours.

Remove beef from refrigerator, uncover, and then let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat – pellet grill, gas grill, charcoal grill or smoker to 225°F.

Place meat on grill, over an indirect heat portion of the grill. Grill the tri-tip for 70 to 80 minutes (until an instant-read thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 125°F).

Remove tri-tip from the grill and rub the 1/4 cup of chimichurri all over it. Set aside.

Raise the grill temperature to the hottest sear temperature (600°F +)

When the grill is hot, sear the tri-tip 2-3 minutes per side.

Remove from grill and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Tri-tip steak with marinade of chimichurri on a blue plate beside the barbeque about to get seared.
Tri-tip with chimichurri ready to get seared on the Weber grill.

CHIMICHURRI

Ingredients
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 long red, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
  • ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation

Firstly combine shallot, chile, garlic, vinegar, and salt in a medium bowl. Let sit 10 minutes.

Then stir in cilantro, parsley, and oregano.

Lastly, whisk in oil.

Tri-tip steak on a wooden board with a large knife. Bowl of chimichurri and a bowl of salt.

Hope you enjoy this recipe! I would love to hear your feedback in the “comments” below!

Love this grilled tri-tip with chimichurri recipe?

If so, I’ve linked a few other chimichurri recipes.

*Weber Grills Canada Ambassador. Opinions in this post are my own.

Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

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A sliced flank steak with a strip of chimichurri sauce down the top. Surrounded by parsley and a large knife.

Grilled flank steak with chimichurri sauce. The parsley in the garden is so healthy, I thought I’d try to use it up while I still can! I’m so glad I did!

Balsamic Marinated Flank Steak

Ingredients
  • 3 lb Angus Beef flank steak
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
  • 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
  • Kosher salt Freshly ground pepper
Preparation

In a blender, combine the garlic, rosemary, oregano, mustard and vinegar and puree until the garlic is minced. With the machine on, gradually add the oil and blend until creamy. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Add the meat to a glass or ceramic baking dish and pour all but 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette on top; turn the meat to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Remove the steak from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Season with salt and pepper.

Grill the steak turning once 90° on each side until lightly charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 125°, 10 to 12 minutes.

Transfer the steak to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes.

Thinly slice the meat against the grain and serve with Chimichurri Sauce.

Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients
  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • 1 long red chili or red jalapeño, roughly chopped
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
  • ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped oregano
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation

Combine shallot, chili, garlic and salt into a mini food processor and chop until fine. Add vinegar and let sit 10 minutes. In a bowl, mix cilantro, parsley, and oregano with contents of food processor, stir to combine. Using a fork, whisk in oil.

In addition to this Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri recipe, you can find more of my favourite chimichurri recipes here. 

Chimichurri Grilled Shrimp with Corn Salsa, Lettuce Wraps

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Shrimp lettuce wrap with a corn salsa.

Moms are special 365 days of the year, but MOTHER’S DAY is the one day that you need to do something extra special for them!
Treat Mom to a delicious, fresh Mother’s Day meal – Chimichurri Grilled Shrimp with Corn Salsa, Lettuce Wraps! Score some bonus points with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of rosé (that’s how I remain my mom’s favourite! 😂)

Ingredients
  • 24 large Marina Del Rey Wild Caught Argentinian Shrimp (20/30 per lb), thawed, peeled & patted dry
  • Metal or wood skewers (soak wood skewers as per package directions)
  • 1 shallot, roughly chopped
  • 1 long red chili or red jalapeño, roughly chopped
  • 3–4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ cup finely chopped cilantro
  • ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoon finely chopped oregano
  • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Preparation

Combine shallot, chili, garlic and salt into a mini food processor and chop until fine. Add vinegar and let sit 10 minutes. In a bowl, mix cilantro, parsley, and oregano with contents of food processor, stir to combine. Using a fork, whisk in oil. Reserve ½ the chimichurri in a small bowl/jug to be used as sauce. Place shrimp in a resealable bag and toss with remaining chimichurri. Chill for 20-30 minutes. Remove shrimp from marinade and thread onto skewers, (beginning with tail, then head, creating a shrimp semi-circle… don’t overcrowd).

When ready to serve, grill skewers on a medium-hot grill, 2-2½ minutes/side flipping just once.

Shrimp skewered and ready to go on the grill.

Grilled Corn Salsa

Ingredients

(make ahead and chill until 20 minutes prior to serving)

  • ¼ cup melted butter
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 4 ears of corn, husks and silks removed
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, stemmed and quartered
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed and diced
  • ½ red onion, diced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • For dressing:
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
Preparation

In a bowl, whisk together the lime juice, chili powder, salt, pepper, butter and olive oil, set aside to baste corn.

Preheat medium-hot grill. Brush a little of the basting mix on each ear of corn. Grill the corn, turning the ears often so they cook evenly, until lightly charred, about 10 minutes, baste each ear 2- 3 times as turning.

Steady each ear of corn on a cutting board and, using a sharp knife, cut down along the cob to strip off the kernels. Put the kernels in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, olive oil and white balsamic vinegar, toss to coat evenly.

A bag of Marina Del Rey Wild Caught Argentinian Shrimp.
Lettuce Wraps
  • 12-24 lettuce leaves (Boston, Bib or Romaine Hearts)
  • Reserved chimichurri
  • Grilled shrimp
  • Corn salsa
  • Quinoa – ½ cup uncooked (cooked per directions)

Plus, a selection of your favourite vegetables:

  • Diced peppers
  • Sliced jalapeños/chilies
  • Red cabbage – thinly sliced
  • Avocado – chunks or slices

Lightly fill a lettuce leaf with an assortment of vegetables, corn salsa, quinoa and 1-2 shrimp, then drizzle with chimichurri and enjoy!

This picture show how you can plate the shrimp skewers and lettuce wraps.

Prep Time: 25 minutes, Cook Time: 20 minutes, Inactive Time 30 minutes, Serves: 4

This Chimichurri Grilled Shrimp with Corn Salsa, Lettuce Wraps recipe was created in partnership with Marina Del Rey however opinions in this post are my own.