Spring and summer are perfect for cooking and eating outdoors. Why not kick off the season with this delicious Mexican feast of carne asada with pico de gallo and guacamole? In fact, grilling from Cinco de Mayo (May 5) to Mexico’s Independence Day (Sept. 16) might be a whole new way to frame the outdoor cooking season.
To make this meal, start with the meat – ideally Alberta beef, of course. “Carne asada” simply means grilled meat and any kind of meat can be used, although typically the meal features flank or skirt steak. Prepare a marinade of garlic, cilantro, oil, lime juice, salt and pepper and marinate the meat for eight hours or overnight. Grill the steak with a good amount of char to give both flavour and colour. Once the meat has been cooked, serve it with rice, beans, tortillas and the guacamole and pico de gallo recipes on the following pages. ¡Provecho!
Ingredients
FOR GUACAMOLE
4...................................................................................ripe avocados
60 g or 4 tablespoons ..........................................small diced onion
375 grams or 1 ½ cups ............................diced tomatoes (optional)
1.....................................................................................jalapeno chili
2 tablespoons ....................................................................lime juice
2 tablespoons .......................................................................olive oil
salt ........................................................................................ to taste
FOR PICO DE GALLO
2 ..........................................................................................tomatoes
2 .................................................................................................limes
1 ........................................................................................ red pepper
½ ......................................................................................... red onion
2 tablespoons ....................................................................... cilantro
1 tablespoon ..........................................................................parsley
1 tablespoon ...........................................................canned jalapeno
Method
TO MAKE THE GUACAMOLE
1. Pit and peel the avocados. Mash the pulp coarsely.
The purée should be slightly lumpy rather than smooth.
2. Mix in the onion, minced chili, lime juice, olive oil and salt to taste.
3. If desired, peel, seed and dice the tomato and add it into the avocado mixture.
4. Cover tightly with plastic wrap placed on the surface of the guacamole. This is to protect it from air, which will darken it.
For the same reason, guacamole should not be made too long before serving time. Chill until ready to serve. Makes one cup.
5. Guacamole is a perfect addition to tacos, enchiladas, nachos, and is delicious with chips.
TO MAKE THE PICO DE GALLO
1. Remove seeds from the tomato and dice into small pieces
2. Juice the limes.
3. Dice the pepper and onion into small pieces.
4. Chop the cilantro and parsley.
5. Add all together and let marinate for 10 minutes. Makes one cup.
6. Pico de gallo is an excellent accompaniment to shrimp, scallops, fish, meat or nachos.
To sample some of the delicious creations from student chefs at Lethbridge College, book a table in the Garden Court Dining Room, by calling 403-382-6999. To see a video of this recipe being prepared by Chef Stephen Klassen, go to widerhorizons.ca.
