Author: Dave Tappan

Marinated Tri-Tip Tacos

3 whole dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed

3 whole dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed

2 whole dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed

2 whole chipotle peppers, canned in adobo

Juice from 2 to 3 oranges

Juice from 2 to 3 limes

1 small yellow or white onion, peeled, halved and sliced into half-moons

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and tender stems only, divided

6 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

Kosher salt, to taste

2-3 pounds tri-tip, trimmed and sliced and cut into small cubes

Warm corn or flour tortillas, lime wedges, diced onion, fresh cilantro, hot sauce or Siracha, Pico de Gallo and cotija or queso fresco, for serving.

Place dried chiles in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a soft boil. Remove from heat, cover and let the chiles steep for 20 minutes. Transfer to the jar of a blender and add chipotle peppers, orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, cilantro, garlic, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and salt. Blend until a smooth sauce has formed, about 1 minute. Taste and add more salt, if needed.

Add the chopped tri-tip and sliced onions to a large Ziploc bag and pour in the marinade. Squeeze out all the air zip it and marinate in your fridge for 2 hours to overnight. Reserve some of the marinade for cooking.

Fire the Blackstone, griddle or large cast-iron skillet and cook the meat thoroughly. Pour some of the reserved marinade over the meat while cooking. If using a skillet, cook the meat in batches so as to not crowd the meat.

Warm your tortillas; add your meat and build your tacos with your favorite toppings!

Blackened Catfish Tacos with Mango Pico de Gallo

Four 8 oz. catfish filets

Canola oil

Unsalted butter

Fish Rub

2 tablespoons smoked paprika

2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

4 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons cumin

Kosher salt, to taste

1 teaspoon cayenne

Mango Pico de Gallo (recipe follows)

Lime wedges, for squeezing

Your favorite hot sauce

Corn or flour tortillas

Add the spices to a shallow dish and stir with a fork until combined. Pat the catfish filets dry with a paper towel. Then, dredge the filets in the rub mixture, shaking off any excess.

Preheat your Blackstone griddle or cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add the canola oil and spread in an even layer with a spatula or twirl your skillet. Then, add the butter and spread it around until it is melted and foamy.

Place the filets on the hot griddle or skillet and cook on each side for about 3 minutes, until the fish is browned and flakes easily with a fork.

Warm or char your tortillas. Assemble your tacos with flaked fish and salsa. Top with a squeeze of lime, hot sauce and a pinch of salt.

Mango Pico de Gallo

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced

2 mangoes, finely diced

1 small red onion, finely diced

Cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1/4 cup lime juice

Kosher salt, to taste

Pinch sugar

Once everything has been diced, combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Stir ingredients together and enjoy or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Shrimp Louie Pasta Salad

3 cups spiral shaped pasta, uncooked

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup ranch dressing

1/3 cup seafood cocktail sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt & fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 lb medium cooked shrimp, peeled & de-veined

1/2 cup chopped fresh Roma tomato

1/2 cup sliced green onion

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Rinse with cold water to cool quickly; drain well.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ranch dressing, seafood cocktail sauce,lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and salt & pepper.

Stir in cooled pasta, cooked shrimp and remaining ingredients.

Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.

One Pan Easy Cajun Steak and Rice

2 New York strip steaks

Butter, for basting and cooking vegetables

Oil, for cooking steaks

Fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Montreal Steaks seasoning, to taste

Cajun seasoning, to taste

Paprika, to taste

1 medium onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

2 bell peppers, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups white, instant rice

3 cups beef broth

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup Parmesan, shredded

1. Take two NY strip steaks and add a little oil to them then season well with pepper and Montreal steak seasoning.

2. To a hot pan with a little oil cook the steaks for 3 minutes on each side. Then add 3 tablespoons of butter and baste in the butter for just about 30 seconds. Remove those from the pan and let rest. (I did medium rare, cook longer if you’d like)

3. To the same pan add two more tablespoons of butter. Once that melts add 1 diced onion, 1 diced jalapeño, and 2 diced bell peppers. Season well with a Cajun seasoning (I used slap ya mama) and some smoked paprika. This depends on how spicy you want it. I did around 2 teaspoons of paprika and 2-3 teaspoons of slap ya mama. Turn the heat to medium and let them cook for about 5 minutes. Or until desired cook on those. You can add minced garlic at the end if you would like too!

4. Now to the pan, add 3 cups of white instant rice and toss with the peppers, onions and butter. Then add 3 cups of low sodium beef broth. Turn up heat and when it starts to boil turn down to low and cover just about 2 minutes.

5. Remove lid and mix your rice. It should be cooked by now. Now add 1/2 cup of heavy cream and mix. Then add 1/2 cup of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese and mix again until melted.

6. Top with your steak and enjoy!!!

Bacon Blue Cheese Burger with Caramelized Onions

For the burgers

2 pounds fresh-ground chuck, (80/20)

1 tablespoon onion powder

A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

8 ounces blue cheese, sliced

12 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked and drained on paper towels

6 large Hamburger buns

For the caramelized onions

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced

Kosher salt to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium heat. Add the onions, stir briefly to coat with oil and cook without stirring for 10-12 minutes.

Flip so that the onions on the bottom of the pot are now on top, and cook for another 10-12 minutes. Flip one more time, lower heat and allow onions to caramelized until completely brown — about 15 minutes — gently stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside. These can be reheated before you put the burgers together.

In a large bowl, mix ground beef, onion powder, Worcestershire and salt and pepper until just combined. Do not over-mix, or your patties will be tough.

Divide into six portions and form patties, without pressing too hard. They should be uniform in thickness. Smooth out any cracks using your fingers. Make these right before you grill them, so they stay at room temperature.

Preheat your grill, grill pan or cast-iron skillet to high heat and add burger patties. If using a grill, cover with the lid.

Cook until the crust that forms on the bottom of the burger releases it from the pan or grate — about 2 minutes. Gently test, but don’t flip it until it gets to this point. When burgers lift up easily, flip, add enough blue cheese to cover completely, close lid if using a grill, and cook on the other side for another 2-3 minutes for medium to medium rare.

Remove patties carefully using a metal spatula and transfer to buns. Top with caramelized onions and bacon and serve immediately.

Italian Sausage Sandwich

Extra Virgin olive oil, for frying sausages

1 pound hot or mild Italian sausage links

2 red bell peppers, sliced

2 yellow onions, sliced

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

4 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup Marsala wine

1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes

Pinch red pepper flakes

4 good quality hoagie rolls

8 slices provolone

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on both sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the pan and drain.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning, basil, and garlic and cook 2 more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the Marsala wine, tomatoes, and chili flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the browned bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages in half. Add the sausage back to the pan and stir to combine. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

Split the rolls in half lengthwise. Hollow out the bread from the bottom side of each roll, being careful not to puncture the crust. Fill the bottom half of the roll with sausage and sauce.

Top the sandwiches with two slices of cheese each and place on a baking sheet under your broiler for one minute or until cheese is melted.

Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Garlic-Lime Mayo

FOR THE TACOS

Juice of 3 limes

Chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. paprika

t tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

Olive oil

Zest of 1 lime

Kosher salt, to taste

2 lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Tortillas, warmed, for serving

Lime wedges, for squeezing

Plastic squeeze bottle, for drizzling the garlic-lime mayo

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, onion & garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, olive oil, lime zest and season with salt. Add shrimp, toss and cover with plastic wrap. Let marinate 20 minutes in refrigerator.

Preheat grill your to medium heat. Grill shrimp (I use skewers) until pink and opaque, about 3 minutes per side.

Build tacos: add the salsa, then a few shrimp and a drizzle of the garlic-lime mayo to each taco. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Pineapple Salsa

2 cups diced pineapple

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/4 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup cilantro leaves packed, chopped

Juice from 1 lime

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 small jalapeno, finely minced

Kosher salt, to taste

In a bowl combine pineapples, tomatoes, red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, cumin and minced jalapenos. Add salt, to taste. Stir until all ingredients are combined.

FOR THE GARLIC-LIME MAYO

1/3 c. Mayonnaise

2 tbsp. hot sauce (I like Tapatio)

Zest of 1 lime

1 tsp. garlic powder

Kosher salt, to taste

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Whisk and season with salt.

Chili Verde

4 pounds boneless pork butt extra fat trimmed, cut into 1-inch chunks,

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Olive oil

2 medium yellow onions diced

1.5-pounds tomatillos husked and quartered

12 ounces canned, diced green chilies, not drained

1 bunch cilantro

6 garlic cloves

2 jalapenos seeded

2 poblanos, seeded

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 teaspoons cumin

4 cups chicken stock, divided

Flour tortillas, for serving

Toppings:

Fresh cilantro

Sour cream

Radish, cut into matchsticks

Diced onion

Avocado

Hot sauce or Sriracha

Grated cheese

Fresh lime wedges, for squeezing

Pickled jalapeno slices

Preheat oven to 400. On a baking sheet, toss tomatillos, jalapenos and poblanos with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until browned. You might have to pull the jalapenos and poblanos earlier so they don’t completely fall apart.

Season pork with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

When the oil is hot, add half the pork to the pot and brown. Set aside. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil and brown the remaining pork. Set aside.

Add onion and cook 4-5 minutes or until softened. (Reduce heat if they begin to brown). Remove from heat.

In a blender add tomatillos, canned green chilies, cilantro, garlic, jalapeños, poblanos, oregano, cumin, and 2 cups chicken stock. Puree on high until smooth.

Pour the blended mixture, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and browned pork along with any juices and remaining 2 cups of chicken stock into the pot.

Stir to combine, turn on to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered, stirring occasionally.

Cook 3 to 4 hours or until the pork is fork tender and starting to shred.

Serve with your favorite toppings and warm flour tortillas.

Grilled Chicken Street Tacos

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

20 mini white corn tortillas, warmed on the grill

For the Marinade:

4 tablespoons orange juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves

2 teaspoons paprika

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Toppings:

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Yellow onion, chopped

Pico de Gallo

Radish, thinly sliced

Jalapeno, thinly sliced (seeds and ribs removed for less heat)

Cotija or queso cheese

Sour cream

Hot sauce (I like Tapatio)

Lime wedges, for squeezing

Make chicken marinade by combining all marinade ingredients. Place thighs in a zip lock bag and pour in the marinade

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

Preheat grill over medium-high heat. Oil the grill with canola oil or spray generously with cooking spray. Remove chicken from the marinade and place on hot grill.

Cook for about 4-5 minutes on each side, flipping once (thickest part of the chicken thigh should register about 165 degrees).

Transfer to a plate and allow to rest for a few minutes before chopping into small pieces.

Layer two warmed mini corn tortillas together. Top with chopped chicken and whatever toppings you like. Squeeze a little bit of lime juice on your taco and finish with a pinch of Kosher salt.