Baked Cod with Chimichurri, Cooked Kale, and French Fries

This was a garden/pantry/freezer meal. Fresh kale and parsley from the garden brought a nice brightness to the dish. The entire dish had a little too much acid in my opinion, but besides that, it was a great, pretty quick, weeknight dinner. 

Some things I did this time:

• For the cod, I just baked it with some fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and freshly ground black pepper. 
• For the kale, I sauted down some shallots and garlic and added the kale after a little bit. I finished it with some salt and freshly ground black pepper and fresh lemon juice. 
• For the french fries, I used a recipe I found on Pinterest, and while they were tasty, crispy fries, I added the entire salt mixture right away. Rather than half before cooking and half after cooking. I'm not sure if that is what made them too salty, but they were definitely too salty. 
• For the chimichurri, I blended it and it almost started turning into pesto. Unfortunately, I was making too much for my little food processor, but not enough for my large one. The chimichurri recipe is the The Haven's Kitchen Cooking School cookbook. 

Extra Crispy Oven Baked French Fries

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Seasoning Mix

     2 Tablespoons seasoned salt

     1 teaspoon chili powder

     1 teaspoon dried basil

     1/8 teaspoon cumin

     1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Fries

      3 medium russet potatoes (russet are the best choice for perfect crispy fries)

     1-2 Tablespoons olive oil

     2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan (optional)

Steps:

1. Combine seasoning ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut off the ends. With a very sharp knife, cut the potatoes into thin slices about 1/4 inch wide.
3. Add the fries to a large bowl and cover with cold water. Allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes but they can soak for as long as overnight. (Place in the fridge if soaking more than an hour).
4. After the fries have soaked, drain, rinse, and lay the fries on a paper towel lined cooling rack to dry while you preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Blot the tops with additional paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.
5. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or foil and spray with non-stick spray. Make sure the previously used bowl is dry and add the potatoes to it, add 1-2 tablespoons of oil and 1/2 – 1 Tablespoon of the seasoning mixture based on how much salt you prefer. Toss around to mix.
6. Evenly line the baking pan with the fries in a single layer. Don’t overlap or they fries won’t cook properly. Bake for about 30 minutes, flipping with a spatula once or twice after 15 minutes of cooking. Increase heat to 425 degrees and continue baking until the edges look a little burnt.
7. Sprinkle the fries with the other half of the seasoning mix and Parmesan cheese (optional). Serve immediately.

Chimichurri

Makes: 1 cup

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

     2 cups packed freshly flat-leaf parsley

     4 garlic cloves, minced

     2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano

     Juice of 2 limes, plus more as needed

     1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

     Fine sea salt

Steps:

1. Place the parsley in the bowl of a food processor with the garlic, oregano, and lime juice and pulse until roughly chopped. 
2. Add the olive oil and a pinch of salt and pulse until chunky, about 15 seconds. 
3. Check the seasoning and add salt and/or lime juice if needed. While it's wonderful freshly made, chimichurri can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. 

EAT