Rah rah, yabba dabba and yippy skippy, it’s fall football season again. With four or possibly even more games on our agendas every week — counting youth, high school, college and pro — it’s obviously time to start suiting up in our beloved choices of team logo shirts, jackets, hats and scarves.
It’s also time to gather and thumb through that trusty storehouse of various fixits for favorite tailgating, TV viewing and after-game football fare.
If the good old standbys look a little lackluster or too tired to deserve a place in the lineup this time around, or you just plain want to add one new zinger to the roster, we have just the thing.
It’s the creation of TV personality and restaurateur Bobby Flay, and it’s designed to feed just four.
Aside from the added expense, if you have a big enough barbecue, and last-minute help if you need it, there’s no reason the recipe couldn’t be doubled or even tripled. Alternatively, it strikes me as hearty enough to stand on its own as an appetizer, alongside other similar snacks, and make even more eaters happy.
It sounds irresistibly delicious. A must-make priority. Well, we’ll never know, will we, unless we try:
Ribeye and Anaheim chile quesadillas
Marinated ribeye:
8cloves garlic, finely chopped
2Anaheim chiles, stems removed and coarsely chopped
3tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano
1/2cup canola oil
1(1 1/4-inch thick) boneless ribeye steak (about 1 pound)
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Anaheim chile vinaigrette:
3large Anaheim chiles, grilled, peeled, seeded and diced
4cloves roasted garlic, peeled
3tablespoons red wine vinegar
3tablespoons fresh lime juice
Few tablespoons water
1tablespoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4cup canola oil
1/4cup chopped fresh cilantro
Quesadillas:
12 flour tortillas, 6 inches in diameter, divided
11/2cups grated jack cheese
Marinated ribeye slices
6ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled
3green onions, thinly sliced
Canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1teaspoon ancho chile powder
Cilantro leaves for garnish
For the marinade, in a medium baking dish, stir together the garlic, chiles, oregano and oil; add the steak and turn to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.
Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high. Remove the steak from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling to take the chill out of it. Remove from the marinade and season liberally on both sides with the salt and pepper. Grill the steak on both sides until golden brown and slightly charred and cooked to medium-rare (130 degrees on an instant-read thermometer) — about 9 minutes. Remove from the grill and let rest, loosely tented with foil, for 10 minutes. Slice into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
For the chile vinaigrette, in a blender container, combine the chiles, garlic, vinegar, lime juice, a few tablespoons of water, honey, salt and pepper and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the oil until emulsified. Add the cilantro and blend 5 seconds longer. (There should be flecks of the cilantro in the vinaigrette.)
For the quesadillas, preheat the grill to medium heat. Place 8 of the tortillas on a flat surface and divide the jack cheese, some of the beef slices, goat cheese and green onions among the tortillas (in that order) and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stack the tortillas to make four, 2-layer tortillas and top each with the remaining tortillas. Brush the tops of the tortillas with canola oil and sprinkle with the ancho chile powder. Carefully place tortilla stacks on the grill, ancho-side down, and grill until lightly golden brown — about 2 minutes. Flip the quesadillas over, close the lid and heat until the bottom of the tortillas are lightly golden brown and the cheese has melted. Remove from the grill, cut into quarters, top each quarter with some of the chile vinaigrette and garnish with cilantro leaves. Makes 4 servings.
If you have a football season favorite to share, please don’t hesitate to send it along to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.
We are always happy to receive your contributions and requests, but please remember that all letters and e-mail must include a name, complete address with ZIP code and telephone number with area code. No exceptions and sorry, but no response to e-mail by return e-mail; send to kruse@heraldnet.com.
The next Forum will appear in Friday’s comics pages.
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