Category: Dave’s Blog

Himalayan Salted Flank Steak with Grilled Pineapple Salsa

One 2 lb flank steak

2 Tablespoons coarse Himalayan salt (Costco)

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

1 small pineapple skinned, cored, and cut into spears

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 red bell pepper cut into rings

1 orange bell pepper cut into rings

1/2 cup cilantro chopped

1 clove garlic minced

Kosher salt, to taste

1 juice of 1 lime

Preheat your grill to 450 degrees. Season the flank steak on both sides with the Himalayan salt. Don’t rub the salt into the steak. Set aside while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.

Place the pineapple spears in a gallon bag with the brown sugar and gently massage to coat all sides of the pineapple with the sugar.

Place the flank steak, pineapple skewers, and pepper rings directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Open the lid and turn over the steak, peppers, and pineapple. Close the lid and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Remove the pineapple and bell peppers to a cutting board. Rough chop them together and transfer to a medium bowl. Gently stir in the cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and salt. Set aside until you are ready to serve.

Test the steak for the correct internal temperature using a meat thermometer. The temperature should read 130-135 for medium rare. Pick up the steak and shake off any excess salt and transfer it to a cutting board. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing thinly against the grain.

Transfer the steak to a serving platter (or serve directly from the cutting board) and top liberally with the grilled pineapple salsa. Enjoy!!

Jacked Up Tuna Melt

8 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise

Two 5-ounce canned oil- or water-packed tuna, drained well

¾ cup mayonnaise

4 tablespoons panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated mozzarella

4 tablespoons minced red onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled jalapeno peppers

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

8 slices of your favorite, good quality bread

8 slices Pepper Jack cheese

2 medium avocados, halved, pitted, and flesh scooped

8 thin slices tomato

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. In a large cast iron or nonstick skillet, or using a griddle, cook bacon over medium heat, turning as needed, until well browned and crisp on both sides, about 7 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate, and reserve bacon fat in a heatproof bowl; wipe out skillet.

Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, combine tuna, mayonnaise, panko, mozzarella, red onion, and pickled jalapeños. Stir, mashing very well with a fork or stiff rubber spatula, until well-combined and almost no flakes of tuna remain. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a pastry brush, lightly but evenly brush both sides of each slice of bread with reserved bacon fat. Using the same skillet or griddle, toast bread slices on first side over medium heat until nicely browned and crisp, about 3 minutes; using a cooking weight or spatula, gently press down on bread slices while toasting to ensure even heating and browning.

Flip bread and lay one slice of cheese on top of each bread slice. Mound avocado on 2 of the bread slices, spreading it in an even layer. Top avocado with tuna, spreading it in an even layer, followed by tomato slices and bacon. Close sandwiches, placing top bread slices cheese side down, and continue to cook until bottom of sandwich is well toasted; press down gently on sandwich with cooking weights or a spatula to ensure even heating and browning.

Flip sandwiches and cook until second side is well-toasted. Transfer tuna melts to a baking sheet and heat in oven until cheese is melted through, about 5 minutes. Serve.

Santa Maria Tri-Tip with a Pinquito Bean Relish

One 4-pound (or so)

Santa Maria Rub: (enough for a 4-pound roast)

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne

1 Tbsp dried oregano

1 teaspoon dry rosemary

1/2 teaspoon dry sage

Mix the rub ingredients together in a bowl.

Place the roast in a roasting pan or a baking pan with edges (this will help keep the rub from getting all over the floor).

Sprinkle the rub on the meat on all sides, and massage the rub into the meat.

Cover the roast with foil or plastic wrap and let it sit at room temp for an hour to take the chill off and allow the rub to work its magic on the roast.

Prepare your grill for hot direct heat on one side, and indirect heat on the other. If you are working with a wood-fired grill, Santa Maria BBQ traditionally uses red oak wood. If you are using a smoker, use oak or red oak chips or pellets. If you have an open-pit, that’s a plus!

Sear the roast on all sides, 3-4 minutes per side. Carefully watch the roast as it can easily flare up and burn. Don’t walk away from it during searing and move it away from flame as needed.

Once the tri-tip is seared on both sides, move it away from direct heat and place it fat-side up on the grill rack.

If you are using a gas grill with a top rack, I recommend placing the roast on that rack, with an aluminum tray on the bottom rack underneath to catch the fat drippings.

If you are grilling on charcoal or wood, you may want to turn the roast over every few minutes, for more even heating. Try to maintain a grill temperature of 250°F to 300°F.

If you are using a smoker, keep the temperature at 250 and smoke for 2-3 hours or until the temperature of the roast reaches your desired doneness. See temps below. Use a digital, probe thermometer for reading the temps.

Cover the grill and cook until the temperature of the tri-tip reaches 120°F for a rare roast, 130°F for medium-rare and 140°F for medium.

At this point the meat will take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes to cook, depending on how hot your grill is, how well done you want it, and the size of the cut. Remember, the interior temperature will continue to rise at least 5°F after you take the roast off the heat.

Once the roast reaches temperature, remove it from the grill and let it rest, loosely tented with foil, for 10-15 minutes. Slice across the grain to serve. Serve with the bean relish and garlic bread.

Santa Maria Pinquito Bean Relish:

8 ounces bacon, diced

1 poblano chile, finely diced

1 medium red onion, finely diced

2 cans pinquito or pinto beans, drained and rinsed twice

Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnishing

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until golden brown and the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.

Add the poblano and onions to the bacon fat in the pan and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the beans and bacon and cook until warmed through. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put into a serving bowl and top with cilantro leaves.

Tacos al Pastor

5 dried guajillo chilies

5 dried ancho chilies

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup white vinegar, plus more to thin the marinade if necessary

2 tbsp. achiote paste, WinCo has a good Mexican food section

Kosher salt, to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons finely minced white onions

1/4 cup water

4 lbs. country-style boneless pork ribs or 4 lbs pork shoulder

1 ripe pineapple

TO SERVE

corn tortilla, warmed

diced white onion

sliced radish

fresh cilantro leaves

Salsa

At least 6 hours before cooking, make the marinade: Heat a heavy griddle or frying pan over medium heat and gently toast the chiles, pressing them down quickly with a spatula. Turn and repeat on the other side. Be very careful not to scorch the chiles or they will have an off taste. Cool and then remove the stems, seeds, and stringy ribs.

Tear the chiles into small pieces and pulse in a spice grinder until they are as finely ground as possible.

In a blender, combine the garlic, vinegar, achiote, salt, cumin, and cloves. Puree until well combined. Add the ground chiles and blend for several minutes, or until the sauce is very smooth; if necessary, add a tablespoon or so of vinegar to make a thick paste.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a frying pan. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the Chile paste; use the water to swish out the blender and add to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until thickened. Scrape onto a plate and cool completely.

Cut the pork into lengthwise slices about 3/4 inch thick and smear a layer of the Chile paste on each side (thick enough to draw a line in). Stack the slices in a shallow container, cover, and refrigerate for 6 to 12 hours.

Cut the crown off the pineapple and cut a slice off the bottom. Carve off the prickly skin, slicing from top to bottom, then cut the flesh into slices 1/2 inch thick; set aside.

Grill Method: Half an hour before cooking, clean the grill thoroughly with a brush and wipe it down with an oil-dampened rag. Preheat the grill on high. Remove any thick blobs of chile paste from the meat, as these will burn. Grill the meat and pineapple for 7 minutes on each side, directly over the flame (if your grill is hot as heck — medium is ok). Watch carefully to make sure the chile paste is not burning; if needed, turn down the heat or move the meat to a cooler part of the grill. The pineapple should be given a half-turn partway through cooking to make nice crosshatch marks. When the meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees (don’t overcook) remove to a warm plate.

Oven method: Preheat the oven to 375°F Spread the meat out in one layer in a shallow, lightly oiled baking dish or a rimmed cookie sheet. There should be some open space between the pieces; it’s better to use several baking dishes than crowd the meat. Cut half of the pineapple slices into quarters and scatter over the top. Reserve the rest for another use. Roast the meat and pineapple for 30 to 40 minutes, or until well browned and crisp; there should be some caramelized juices in the bottom of the dish. Remove from the oven, cover the cooked meat and pineapple loosely with foil, and let stand 5 minutes while you heat the tortillas.

To Serve: Heat the tortillas’ keep them warm in a cloth napkin or a tortilla warmer. Dice the meat into small bits, mix with the juices on the plate or in the baking dish, and fill the tortillas. The pineapple can be chopped up or cut into quarters. Serve with the onion, radishes, cilantro, and your choice of salsa or hot sauce.

Crunchy Tuna Casserole

1 lb. bow tie pasta

2 tbsp. butter

1 onion, chopped

6 oz. canned white tuna (packed in oil), drained and flaked, reserve 2 tbsp. oil

2 tbsp. flour

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

1 c. white wine

2 c. chicken stock

1 c. frozen peas

1 tomato, diced

2 c. mozzarella, diced

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving

1. Preheat oven to 375. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a medium pot over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and cook onion until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons reserved oil from tuna, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and stir until flour turns golden, about 3 minutes.

3. Add wine and stir until smooth, then add chicken stock and continuously stir until incorporated. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until sauce begins to thicken, 5 minutes. Add cooked pasta, frozen peas, tomato, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan, and tuna.

4. In a small bowl, stir together panko, olive oil, and parsley. In a large baking dish, layer pasta mixture and top with remaining cup of mozzarella and breadcrumb mixture. Season generously with salt and pepper.

5. Bake until golden and bubbling, 20 minutes. Serve with parsley.

Slow Cooker French Dip Sandwiches

2 Tablespoons olive oil

3-4 pounds beef chuck roast

Kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

2 packages Lipton dry onion soup mix

2 cups water

2 (14.5-ounce) cans beef broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can french onion soup

24 slices Swiss or provolone cheese

8 crusty rolls (I like ciabatta)

Prepared horseradish, for serving (optional)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the oil is heating, generously season all sides of the chuck roast with salt and pepper.

When the oil starts to shimmer, carefully place the roast in the hot pan and sear it on all sides by letting it sit without moving for a minute or two on each side before flipping it. Searing won’t take very long – you just want to quickly brown the roast to add flavor and seal in the juices.

Transfer the roast and the pan juices to your slow cooker. Sprinkle onion soup mix over the roast and add water, soup and beef broth. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.

When the meat is so tender that it shreds easily with a fork, remove the roast from the slow cooker and shred. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, the ladle into individual ramekins. This will be your au jus.

Serve by piling the shredded meat onto sliced, crusty rolls with a few slices of cheese. Toast the cheese and top bun under the broiler until the cheese melts and the bun starts toasting. Serve with the au jus for dipping. Also, serve with horseradish, if you like. Enjoy!

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken Thighs

The Meat and Marinade:

Boneless skinless Chicken Thighs

1 C. packed light brown sugar

1 C. soy sauce

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

1-2 inches of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

1 onion halved and sliced into half moons

1 stick salted butter

In a bowl, mix the brown sugar and soy sauce together. Keep mixing until almost all the sugar is dissolved in the soy sauce.

Add in the garlic, ginger and onion and mix.

Let the mixture sit for a few minutes.

Put meat into a zip lock bag and pour mixture over it. Depending on how much meat you have you may need to make more marinade and split this into 2 different bags. Let this marinade for at least 4 hours.

For the Grill:

13×9 Pyrex dish or smaller depending on the amount of meat you have

1 stick of butter

4-5 green onions sliced small

Place Pyrex dish on the hot grill if you have room otherwise you can put it in the oven.

Add the butter to the Pyrex so it starts to melt.

Add the meat to the grill and cook to perfection.

When the pieces of meat are done place them in the Pyrex to let swim in buttery goodness until all are done and add the green onions.

Chicken Taquitos

3 cups cooked chicken shredded, or rotisserie chicken, skin & bones removed.

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika

Kosher salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano, crushed

Juice from 1 lime

1 ½ cups Monterey Jack cheese

20 corn tortillas

2 cups vegetable oil

Toppings:

Iceberg lettuce, shredded

Mexican crema

Hot sauce

Chopped tomato

Diced onion

Pico de Gallo

Cotija cheese, crumbled

Guacamole

Your favorite salsa

Fresh cilantro

Lime wedges, for squeezing

1. In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken with the spices and lime juice. Stir until chicken is coated thoroughly.

2. Wrap the tortillas in a tortilla warmer or damp paper towel. Heat them in the microwave for 60-90 seconds.

3. Working with one at a time (keeping others warm), take a warmed tortilla and place on a clean surface. Take a heaping spoonful of the chicken (about the same size as your index finger) and place on tortilla. Top with some cheese. Roll up tightly and secure seam with toothpick. Place on a tray and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

4. Pour oil in deep skillet and heat to 350°F. Prepare a baking tray with wire rack or line a plate with paper towels. Set aside.

5. Cook in batches of 5 (to not drop the temperature and more easily turn taquitos), fry 1-2 minutes until golden brown, turning to get both sides. Transfer to tray or plate and immediately sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining.

6. Remove toothpicks before serving. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Sausage, Peppers and Onions on Italian Roll with Garlic Aioli

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1-pound sweet Italian sausage links

2 red bell peppers, sliced

2 yellow onions, sliced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

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

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 to 6 fresh Italian sandwich rolls

Roasted Garlic Aioli…recipe follows

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 oregano, 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 into 4 to 6 pieces each, about 1-inch cubes. 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 mixture. Top and serve sandwiches immediately.

Roasted Garlic Aioli

2 to 3 whole heads garlic

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Take the whole heads of garlic and cut the tops off to expose the garlic cloves. Place on a large piece of aluminum foil and drizzle lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap up the foil into a tight pouch, and then place in the oven and roast for 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Squeeze the pulp from the skins (you’ll need 1/3 cup).

In a food processor, combine the roasted garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Parmesan, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce and some salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined. Refrigerate to allow the flavors to meld together. Garnish with parsley.

Baked Italian Sausage Ziti

1 lb. dry Ziti pasta

2 lbs. sweet or spicy Italian sausage (casings removed)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes

Kosher salt, to taste

1-1/2 teaspoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano, or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1/3 cup torn fresh basil, plus more for serving

8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the ziti according to the package directions to al dente, about 7 minutes. Under cook it a bit, as it will continue to cook in the oven. Drain, but don’t rinse and add the pasta back to the pot. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425 and set the oven rack in the middle position.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage into the pan and cook, breaking apart with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan and set over low heat (if you don’t have enough fat in the pan, add a tablespoon of olive oil). Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until soft but not browned, about 1 minute.

Add the crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add the heavy cream, 1/3 cup of the Pecorino Romano or Parmesan, cooked sausage, and basil to the pan; stir until evenly combined. Carefully pour the contents of the pan into the large pot with the pasta and gently stir to combine. Spoon half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the shredded mozzarella and half of the remaining Pecorino Romano.

Spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top and sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella and Pecorino Romano. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with more basil and serve.