Chimichurri Tacos with Rice

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I love buying and growing fresh herbs in the summer.  I generally grow parsley, oregano, mint, sage, rosemary, and thyme.  I used to try and grow cilantro but it never survived in our climate.  I make a lot of recipes in the summer using our fresh herbs.

We really enjoy Mexican at our house.  We eat it about once a week.  I make hard shell tacos, enchiladas, burritos, taco salads, you name it and we probably eat it.  One thing I’ve never made is a chimichurri sauce which has fresh herbs, lime juice, olive oil, and some seasonings.  It’s really delicious and adds a gorgeous bright green color to the taco.

This recipe also includes a wonderful seasoned rice.  The rice is flavored with vegetable broth and cooked with tomatoes, garlic, and onions.  It was great as a side dish but it was also really good in the actual taco.

Chimichurri Tacos with Rice (adapted from Vegetarian Times)
For the rice:
1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1 c. vegetable broth
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 c. white rice

For the Chimichurri Sauce:
1 c. cilantro leaves
1/2 c. parsley leaves
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. lime juice
2 T. water
2 T. sugar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. salt
2 t. cumin
1 t. black pepper
1/4 t. cayenne pepper

For the taco filling:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 T. taco seasoning (I used Penzey’s Arizona Dreaming-it’s my favorite Mexican seasoning!)
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
8 flour tortillas

For the toppings:
cheddar cheese
sour cream
salsa

1.  To make the rice heat the oil in a saucepan over medium high heat.  Add in the onion and saute for 5 minutes.  Stir in the salt, pepper, broth, tomato, and rice.

2.  Bring the rice to a boil then cover and reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 15 minutes or until broth is absorbed.

3.  To make the sauce combine all ingredients in a food processor.  Process until smooth.

4.  Heat the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat.  Break apart the beef as it cooks.  Heat until the beef has browned.  Add in the taco seasoning and cook for an additional minute.

5.  Stir in the black beans and cook for 3 minutes.  Add in half of the chimichurri sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes.

6.  Fill the tortillas with beef mixture, rice (if desired), and additional chimichurri sauce.  Add cheddar cheese, sour cream, and salsa to taste.