Marcela Valladolid’s Recipes For Grilled Beef Strips & More

Marcela Valladolid, chef and co-host of the Emmy-nominated
show “The Kitchen” on Food Network, has released her third cookbook, “Casa Marcela: Recipes and Food Stories of My Life in the Californias.” She
shares some delicious recipes from the book that are perfect for your Memorial
Day weekend outdoor celebrations and cookouts.

STRAWBERRY AND THAI BASIL MOJITO

SERVES 4

1 cup sliced strawberries, plus 4 left whole, for garnish (optional)
½ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup white rum
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes)
4 tablespoons firmly packed fresh Thai basil
3 cups sparkling water

In a chilled glass, muddle ¼ cup of the strawberries and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Add 1½ ounces of the rum, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, and 1 tablespoon of the basil and stir. Fill the glass with ice and top with ¾ cup of the sparkling water. Garnish with whole strawberry, if desired. Repeat with the remaining glasses and serve immediately.

GRILLED BEEF STRIPS

SERVES 4 TO 6

5 pounds Korean-style short ribs
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Mint and Cilantro Salsa Verde (see additional recipe)

Place the meat in a glass baking dish and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, then add the oregano and lime juice. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours or up to overnight.

Preheat a grill pan over high heat and grill the ribs until lightly charred on the outside, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to platter and serve with Mint and Cilantro Salsa Verde.

MINT AND CILANTRO SALSA VERDE

MAKES 1½ CUPS

2 cups firmly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup distilled white vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 fresh jalapeno chiles, stemmed

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process until very smooth, about 1 minute. Serve immediately (if the salsa sits for too long, it will turn dark green because of the fresh herbs).

POBLANO RINGS

SERVES 6

3 fresh poblano chiles
3 cups vegetable oil, or as needed, for frying
1 cup all-purpose flour
Salt
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
3 tablespoons ground dried guajillo chile or ground chipotle powder

Place the poblanos directly over a gas burner on medium-high heat. Using tongs, turn as needed so the chiles can char evenly. The chiles will turn black and look burned; this should not take more than 5 minutes because chiles can turn soft and release water if cooked for too long. Transfer the chiles to a resealable plastic bag and let steam for about 5 minutes. This will allow for easier peeling. Peel the charred skin off the chiles and slice into ¼-inch rings, discarding the stem.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large, heavy saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer inserted into the oil reaches 350°F. (If you do not have a thermometer, test the oil with a piece of bread crumb, which should sizzle when it touches the oil.)

Meanwhile, arrange three bowls in an assembly line: one of them with the all-purpose flour seasoned with about 1 teaspoon of salt, another one with the beaten eggs, and the third one with a mixture of the panko bread crumbs and ground guajillo.

Carefully dredge the poblano rings in the flour, making sure not to break them. Shake off the excess flour and soak in the beaten egg. Then cover with the panko-guajillo mixture.

Fry in the hot oil until crisp and golden in color, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oil and set on paper towels to drain the excess oil. Season with salt while the rings are still warm.

CHURROS

MAKES 18 CHURROS

1⅓ cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vegetable oil, for frying

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the water, butter, and salt in a large, heavy pot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, add the flour, and mix with a wooden spatula until combined. Let the dough sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Knead the dough until smooth, about 1 minute. Place half of the dough in a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip. Pipe 4-inch-long churros onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon on a large platter. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 4 to 5 inches of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven until it registers 365°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Add the churros in batches of three and fry, flipping once, until deep golden brown all over, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the churros to a paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain.

Roll the churros in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve immediately.

Recipes & photos courtesy of : CASA MARCELA by Marcela Valladolid and Coral Von Zumwalt. Copyright © 2017 by Marcela Valladolid and Coral Von Zumwalt. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.