fish and chips

I’m sorry blog! I seem to have neglected you for a while. But here’s a new post and it’s a delicious one. There are three components and each one can be made in succession so that it’s all done at the same time. This is a healthier version than your typical soggy, greasy fish and chips, and with more flavor. Mahi mahi gets topped with a garlicky, tangy chimichurri sauce and served alongside some sweet potato fries seasoned with some smoked paprika. And for the greens, there are collards with bacon. Mmm.

I usually use frozen fish for my fish entrees. I stock up when there is a sale and start defrosting a little bit before dinner. They’re not quite as nice as fresh, but still pretty good, and much cheaper. The chimichurri sauce has become one of my favorites recently and there are lots of little variations you can make. I’m sure there are a million different “authentic” versions, but the general idea is pretty simple – oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley. Easy.

The collard greens are super simple and so yummy. You can cook them to your desired tenderness, but I prefer them with some texture, rather than super mushy. But both work. Any bitter greens can be substituted, and spinach could too if that’s all you have or what’s on sale.

This all serves about 4 people.

Chimichurri Sauce

1 cup packed parsley
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until a kind of mayonnaise consistency.

You can add some cilantro, or do halfsies with the parsley. I like to make this a few hours before the meal because I think it gets better the longer it sits at room temp.

Sweet Potato Fries

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled (or not) and cut into 1/3 inch thick shoestrings
1 tablespoon oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt & pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Put the sweet potatoes into a bowl and coat with oil, paprika, salt, and pepper. Put on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake in middle of the oven for 40 minutes. Swap baking sheet positions halfway through if using two. You can flip the fries on the baking sheet halfway through if you want, but I find that I usually end up just stirring them around and not doing much good. Just check that they’re not getting too dark on the down side.

Collard Greens with Bacon

4 slices bacon
1 head collard greens, washed, leaves ripped from the veins
1 tablespoon oil
1/3 cup water

1. Cook the bacon slices in a frying pan until crisp. Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot and put the ripped collards into it. Saute for a couple minutes. Add the water and cover pot for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the top of the pot and let any remaining water evaporate, or drain if the collards are done to your liking.
4. Crumble bacon into collards.

Mahi Mahi

4 Mahi Mahi fillets
oil
salt & pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried orange peel or fresh zest

1. Heat up a grill pan on the stove on medium heat. Brush the fillets with oil and coat with salt, pepper, and orange peel.
2. Cook the fillets for about 10 minutes per inch. Cut into the thickest part to check doneness. You want it to easily flake.

Drizzle the chimichurri sauce on top of the fish and serve with a side of collards and fries. You can sprinkle more paprika on the fries if you like. Enjoy and let me know if you tried this and have any suggestions!