Thursday, January 21, 2010

Vaca Frita - Just like in Miami

I experimented with a new recipe last night. If you enjoy Cuban or Latin/Carribean Cusine, you will love this. Vaca Frita is Flank steak that is traditionally boiled and then fried - served with rice and beans.

I'm trying to stick to a paleo diet, so this excludes rice & beans...


Ingredients:
1 - 2 lbs Flank Steak
Goya Mojo Criollo and Adobo (green top)
Sliced Vidallia Onions
Garlic
Green Peppers
Cilantro
1/2 to 1/4 cup White wine or chicken/beef stock
Xtra Virgin Olive oil

Process:
This will take some planning...
1) take your flank steak and marinate with about a cup of Mojo in a ziplock bag for 2 days.

2) In a slow cooker, set to low, cook your flank steak with a few tablespoons of the marinade from the bag for about 6 hours. You dont wan't it too tender.

3) Take your flank steak out and let cool.

4) Slice against the grain into 1/2 inch slices, turn on its side and pound it flat.

5) Take your pounded slices season with adobo, add a few cloves of crushed garlic, and fry in a frying pan with olive oil. make sure your frying pan and oil are up to temp, nice and hot.

6)Once your meat is nice and toasty remove it and plate it

7) now in the same plan fry up your onions and green peppers wiwth a little EVOO.

8) as your onions cramelize and green peppers are close to done, take some, not too much, white wine or chicken stock and deglaze the pan.

9) plate the veggies with the meat

10) I garnish with some chopped cilantro


Enjoy...



You can also make a quick salsa/sauce that is good for dipping (not quite a chimichurri) but close:

  • 1/4 cup finely chopped Cilantro
  • 3 cloves Crushed Garlic
  • Salt & Pepper to taste
  • Juice of 1 Lime
  • Juice of 1 Lemon
  • Olive oil
  • finely chopped green onion
This can be drizzled on top to add some citrus flavor.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Backyard Barbecue - Winning Chili

So yesterday we held a chili contest at work. 13 contenstants, my recipe was the winner. So here it is for everyone to share the love...

Recipe
Ingredients
· 1.5 lbs ground beef
· 3.5 lbs smoked pulled pork – pre-cooked
· 6 sausages (Aidells Chili Chicken & Cheddar Sausage) - diced
· 1 Large Onion - diced
· 1 Green Pepper - diced
· 5 Cloves Garlic - minced
· 1 28oz Can chopped Roma Tomatoes
· 1 15oz Can Red Kidney Beans – rinsed/drained
· 1 15oz Can White Kidney Beans – rinsed/drained
· 1/3 cup Barbecue Sauce (Sweet Baby Rays)
· 6oz Beer (Fat Tire Ale)
· Spices to taste: Goya Adobo - green, Kiko's BBQ Dry Rub seasoning – or BBQ Dry Rub of your choice, 1 Packet Goya Sazón con achiote, Chili Powder, Cumin, Cholula Hot sauce, Red Pepper flake - for heat

Directions
1) Over med-high heat, add onion, green pepper and Beef. Sauté until well browned, add garlic.
2) Add Pulled pork and cook for a few minutes.
3) Add Sausages and cook for a few more minutes.
4) Add Can of Chopped tomatoes, Kidney beans, Beer, and BBQ Sauce
5) Add spices to taste – this can also be done at various steps as ingredients are added.
6) Bring to boil, and then set to simmer on low for about 30 – 45 minutes.

For Crock pot directions, perform step 1 then add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on low for 8 – 10 hours.