Gourmet Mexican Resort Fare, On A Budget

For more than 20 years Chef John Gray has traveled the globe working in some of the finest kitchens in the world.

But these days, he's planted his roots along the warm, sandy resort beaches of Cancun and Riviera Maya, Mexico, where he owns five restaurants bearing his name. They've become favorite destinations for tourists and locals alike.

Gray is known for his high-quality, gourmet American seasonal cuisine.

But on The Early Show Saturday Edition, he accepted the "Chef on a Shoestring" challenge of preparing a three-course meal for four on a recession-busting budget of just $35 bucks.

And in so doing, he tossed his chef's hat into our "How Low Can You Go?" competition. At year's end, the "Shoestring" chef whose total ingredients cost comes in lowest will be invited back to cook up our elaborate holiday spread!

MENU
Spinach Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette
Grilled Chicken & Summer Salad
Warm Banana Nut Bread

RECIPES

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound spinach leaves, cleaned
5 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
1/4 red onion, julienne
3 ounces olive oil
2 ounces red wine vinegar
Pinch sugar
Salt
Pepper
4 ounces feta cheese

METHOD:

Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, bacon and onions. Allow to bubble rapidly for 3 minutes to allow vinegar to reduce.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the spinach leaves and vinaigrette with pinch of salt and fresh pepper to taste. Toss well; spinach will begin to wilt slightly. Divide into four bowls and top with crumbled feta cheese.

Whole Grilled Chicken and Grilled Summer Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 whole medium sized chicken
1 red bell pepper
2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 red onion, quartered
1 nectarine, quartered
1 peach, quartered
3 figs, halved
1 Serrano chile
1/2 cup basil leaves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 ounces olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Pinch paprika

METHOD:

Place whole chicken on cutting board. Starting at cavity, begin cutting breast to split chicken without splitting back bone. Remove wing tips; chicken should lay completely flat. Season thoroughly with salt, pepper and paprika. Flip chicken and season again on skin. Keep in refrigerator till fruit is grilled.

On a large plate or dish, line all fruits flat and season by sprinkling with approximately 1-2 ounces of olive oil then season with salt and pepper.

On a hot grill, place onions and tomatoes cut side down and allow to char slightly. Don't fear the burn marks, they will add great flavor. Turn once and allow less marking and remove. Place peppers skin side down, nectarine, peaches, figs, and Serrano chilies cut side down as well and continue charring.

Remove all of the fruits and vegetables from the grill and roughly cut into 1 ½ inch pieces. Do not cut the figs and chop the Serrano chile very fine. Add all of the fruits and vegetables into mixing bowl, add basil, cilantro, 1 ½ ounces of olive oil and the juice of one lime. Add salt and pepper to taste, and reserve.

On a medium flame grill place whole split chicken skin side down. Allow to mark well, if flames are too high flip to bone side as this side will attract less flame. When both sides are marked and the flames are subsiding close the lid of grill and allow to cook slowly flipping every 3-5 minutes until cooked completely through, approximately 35 minutes.

Place the cooked chicken on a very clean cutting board and cut legs from thighs, separate wings from breast, split wing segments in to, split each breast in two. The chicken can be served family style on large platter and decorated liberally with the grilled fruit salsa.

For the dessert recipe and more, go to Page 2.

Warm Banana Nut Bread with Drizzled Honey

INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
1-1/2 ripe banana
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
11 ounces condensed milk
1 tablespoon walnuts
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups heavy cream

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place the vegetable oil, egg, banana, flour, sugar, condensed milk, walnuts and vanilla in a blender and blend on medium speed until smooth. Butter four muffin pans and pour blended ingredients into the muffin pans. Bake for 25 minutes and test with a toothpick; when it comes out clean the bread is finished. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Whip heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed. To serve place muffin on plate and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of honey and top with a spoon of whipped cream.

So, how did John do in our "How Low Can You Go?" competition?!

Spinach Salad:
spinach $5.00
bacon $2.49
red onion $.66
feta cheese $1.75
total $9.90

Grilled Chicken:
chicken $7.96
red pepper $1.00
tomatoes $1.50
nectarine $.63
peach $.56
figs $2.99
Serrano chile $0.18
basil $1.50
cilantro $.69
paprika $.99
total $18.00

Banana Bread:
banana $1.00
condensed milk $1.59
walnuts $.99
honey $2.19
heavy cream $1.19
total $6.96

Grand Total: $34.86

Our current leaders:

1. Paul Liebrandt $32.35
Corton

2. Scott Peacock $32.60
Watershed Restaurant

3. Joey Campanaro $33.27
The Little Owl