Charred Tomato Chimichurri Cod

& a hard week

Hi! Welcome to “good mood food” from Kale Me Maybe’s Carina Wolff. If you’ve made it here and aren’t yet a subscriber, come join! You can expect recipes, musings, and faves in your inbox every Wednesday! Paid subscribers get even more! Learn more about the paid tier of my newsletter here. You can also try a week for free!

CATCH UP!

I feel so drained this week. I was already feeling like our back-to-back wedding weekends were a doozy, and now the current world events have me feeling really down. I’ve had to step away from social media and limit my time spent online.

If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s okay to step back. I think many of us struggle with wanting to be informed and engaged, but then feel the weight of the world on our shoulders, in a way that affects our mental health. It’s okay to take a break from the internet.

Cooking has always been my safe space, and this week has been no different. I encourage everyone to take some time this week to do something that helps you feel revitalized and energized, whatever you need to do to keep your head above water.

THINGS I’M LOVING!

I like doing hot yoga, but I am also someone who gets easily dehydrated, so I know for me, electrolytes during hot activities are a game-changer. Moon Juice recently sent me their Mini Dew Hydrating Electrolyte Supplement, and I really liked it! It’s a little on the pricey side, but I love the salty watermelon flavor, and I like the ingredients!

I know multicookers aren’t super trendy anymore, but Grant and I use ours all the time, especially for things like beans, grains, and cooking chicken from frozen. I was super excited to see that Our Place came out with its own version called the Dream Cooker! It’s sooo cute! I know Our Place gets a lot of flack, but I enjoy many of their products and find them to be an adorable addition to my kitchen.

I’m not someone who typically listens to fashion podcasts, but I recently followed Allison Bornstein for fashion advice, and when I saw she was on an episode of the Liz Moody Podcast, I obviously had to listen! I’ve been recently trying harder to focus on my personal style, and I love the tips Allison gives. She encourages self-expression and exploration while also giving useful, overall tips on how to style. Plus, Liz asks the questions we are all wondering, as usual.

RECIPE!

I saw Michael Tchao’s Charred Tomato Chimichurri on Instagram and was instantly smitten. I love charred tomatoes, and I love chimichurri, so how could I not make this? Michael’s version is amazing, but I made my own slight tweaks in this version! I left out the jalapeño and scallion (although will definitely be trying next time), and just stuck to parsley and cilantro in my recipe.

A little background: Chimichurri is a South American sauce (often associated with Argentina) made with parsley, minced garlic, oregano and vinegar, and it’s typically served with grilled meats. Adding the cilantro and the charred tomatoes definitely makes my version untraditional, but it’s a fun spin!

If you don’t like cod, you can serve this over salmon, chicken, or meat!

Charred Tomato Chimichurri Cod

Ingredients (serves 2)

• 1 lb cod, cut into 2 filets

• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes

• 1 medium/large shallot, minced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

• 1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp dried oregano

• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper, plus extra

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra

• Salt

• Pepper

• Optional: serve over rice

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Add tomatoes to an oven-safe dish, and poke with a fork. Drizzle on some olive oil, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of crushed pepper, and transfer to the oven. Bake until tomatoes have begun to char, about 30 minutes. Mine didn’t start to chart until about 35 minutes, but depending on your oven, it could be earlier, so start checking at 25 minutes.

2. When tomatoes are done cooking, remove from oven, and let cool. Lower your oven temperature to 400 F. Pat your cod filets dry, and add them to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, and bake for 12-18 minutes, depending on the size of your filets, until easily flaked with a fork.

3. Add the shallots, garlic, parsley, cilantro, dried oregano, and crushed red pepper to a medium bowl. Mix in the vinegar, and let sit for a few minutes. Add in the cooled tomatoes, and using the back of a wooden spatula or a spoon, press down on tomatoes to break them up. Then mix in the olive oil and salt, and mix together.

4. When cod is ready, serve it over rice (or on its own), and spoon the chimichurri mixture over the filets (you will probably have leftover chimichurri sauce — save it for later). Serve warm, and enjoy!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT!

Last week, paid subscribers received a recipe for a Honey Mustard Chicken and Sweet Potato Skillet. It’s one of those recipes where the photography does not do the flavors justice. The chicken was so juicy, and the onions and sweet potatoes complemented everything so nicely! And that honey mustard sauce… no words.