CutandBaste.com

To celebrate the inauguration the other night, we did a classic American “meat & potatoes” dinner: thick cut sirloin steaks basted in butter, roasted fingerling potatoes with a ton of rosemary and garlic, and a simple salad.  To add a bit more flavor to the meal, I did an interesting vinaigrette with blood orange and roasted garlic.  In a blender, start by pureeing the juice of one blood orange, a few tablespoons of blood orange vinegar, a small amount of spicy mustard, and the a whole head of roasted garlic.  Drizzle in olive oil while blending and add salt and pepper to taste.  Toss with lettuce, some slivers of blood orange, radish, and avocado.

Spicy Chipotle Vinaigrette:

• ½ cup Mexican Chipotle Sauce
• ¼ cup lime and/or lemon juice
• ¼ cup cilantro
• 1 T sugar
• 1 T vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine first 5 ingredients and puree in blender.

2. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and blend until smooth and consistent.

Quasi-Carnitas:

• 1 lb pork ribs, butt or shoulder (boneless chops work well), cubed
• 1-2 Mexican beers
• Chicken stock and/or water
• Bay leaves
• Whole dried red chili peppers
• Few tablespoons cumin, chili powder and any other Mexican spices you like

1. Brown the cubed pork in olive oil.

2. Add all other ingredients, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat until the pork is cooked through.

3. Remove, let pork cool and shred.

4. Add shredded pork to about 1 cup Mexican Chipotle Sauce

Salad:

• Lettuce, shredded
• Tortilla chips, crushed (I prefer the really thin blue style)
• Avocado, chopped (covered in lime juice to avoid discoloration)
• Cheese: cojita, crumbly goat, white cheddar, Monterey jack
• Sour cream or crème fresh (optional)
• 1 Cup Jalepeno, Corn and Black Bean Salsa
• Carnitas

1. Add lettuce and tortilla chips to a large bowl. Add just enough vinaigrette to cover.

2. Top with cheese, avocado, carnitas and Salsa and serve.

For marinade:

• 2-3 shallots, chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons red Thai curry paste
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-2 tablespoons ginger, chopped
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Soy sauce, teriyaki, etc
• White wine
• Chicken stock

• 1-lb decent quality steak, sirloin or other
• 10 (or more) hot peppers (red chili, serrano, jalapeno, etc)
• 2 large cloves garlic, sliced crosswise very thin
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 5 tbsp fish sauce
• 5 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice (1 medium size lime)
• 1 head Bibb or Boston; or 1 heart of Romaine lettuce.
• 12 sprigs fresh mint (optional), remove the leaves and discard the stems
• 1/2 hot house cucumber or 1 small cucumber (seeds removed), peeled and sliced thin
• 2 to 3 shallots, sliced crosswise very thin or 1 small red onion, sliced very thin
• 3-4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 chopped mango

Preparation

Saute shallot until translucent. Add curry paste, garlic, and ginger. Saute for a minute or two and add liquids. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add to steak in shallow dish and refrigerate.

Grill or broil the steak until medium-rare. Trim off any fat. Cool and slice thin, into pieces approx. 2 inches across and 1/8 inch thick.

Mix garlic, chilies, fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar in a small bowl. Add the sliced meat and toss with the cucumbers and shallots. Taste and add more fish sauce if desired.

Make a bed of the lettuce on a serving plate. Place the beef on top. Garnish with cilantro. Serves 2 to 3 as an appetizer or as part of a meal.