Mastering Mexican Mixes On Your Grill
Southwestern food is the first culinary love of The Early Show's resident chef, Bobby Flay.
With an intimate knowledge of peppers and an affinity for unusual flavor combinations, Flay showed on the broadcast Tuesday how to whip up dishes with Mexican flavors like nobody's business!
But Flay doesn't just cook in the kitchen. His famous grilling skills landed him on the South Lawn of the White House Friday, as he helped President Barack Obama grill steaks and corn-on-the-cob for a group of young men in honor of Father's Day.
On Tuesday, Flay shared his flare for, and love of, dishes from the great Southwest:
Recipes
Red Curry Marinated Skirt Steak
Serves: 8
1/4 cup red curry paste
1/2 cup canola oil
Juice of 2 fresh limes
1 1/2 pounds skirt steak, cut in half or third crosswise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6-inch flour tortillas, warmed in the oven
1/2 cup clover honey
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1. Combine the curry paste, canola oil, lime juice in a food processor and process until smooth.
2. Place the steak in a large baking dish and add half the marinade. Turn to coat the steak in the marinade, cover and refrigerate the steak for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.
Whisk together the honey and lime juice a bowl.
3. Heat grill to high or cast iron pan or griddle over high heat heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the steak until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides, brushing with the honey-lime glaze a few times and cooked to medium-rare, about 12 minutes total. Remove from the grill and let sit 10 minutes before slicing across the grain into thin slices.
Pickled Roasted Peppers
1 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 roasted red bell peppers, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
2 roasted yellow bell peppers, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1. Combine vinegars, garlic, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
2. Put the pepper and oregano in a medium bowl, add the vinegar mixture and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
Barbecued Onions
BBQ Rub
BBQ Sauce
Vidalia onion, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
Canola oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat grill to medium. Brush onion slices with oil and season with salt and pepper. Season one side of the slices with bbq rub and place on the grill, rub-side down and grill until lightly golden brown. Flip over, brush with bbq sauce and grill until just cooked through, separate the rings.
BBQ Rub
3/4 cup ancho chile powder
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and store, tightly covered in a dark, dry, place.
BBQ Sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup water
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, chopped
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon molasses
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed medium saucepan. Add the onions and cook until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the ketchup and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for an additional 10 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.
2. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth, season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool at room temperature. Sauce will keep for 1 week in the refrigerator stored in a tightly sealed container.
Avocado Crema
2 ripe Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
Water
Chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine avocado, lime juice, rice vinegar, honey and a 1/4 cup of water in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the cilantro, salt and pepper and blend a few seconds just to incorporate.