Santa Maria Style BBQ and The Hitching Post

Memorial Day weekend is this weekend and marks the beginning of summer break, my husband's birthday, and the official kickoff of the barbecue season! Yippee! Why not fire up the grill and throw a "Santa Maria style barbecue!" Santa Maria style barbecue, named for the town along the central coast of California, is a regional tradition dating back to the mid-1800's. It wasn't until the 1950's, when Tri-Tip became all the rage and a signature cut of this style of barbecue. (For more on Tri-Tip, see Introducing, The One And Only, Tri-Tip!) According to the Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce, the official Santa Maria style barbecue menu consists of barbecued Tri-Tip, seasoned simply with salt, pepper, and garlic salt, and cooked over red oak, pinquito beans (indigenous to the area), fresh salsa, grilled French bread dipped in butter, macaroni and cheese, tossed green salad, and a strawberry dessert, like my Long-on-Strawberry Shortcake. In addition, they recommend a local Pinot Noir or Syrah to round out the menu. Fantastic!

This recipe, from Frank Ostini of the iconic The Hitching Post and The Hitching Post II restaurants, family owned since 1952, takes Tri-Tip to another level! The secret is their "magic dust" seasoning which adds a few extra ingredients to the traditional dry rub. The Tri-Tip is then basted with a garlic-infused vegetable oil and red wine vinegar mixture. The result is a beautiful beefy masterpiece! Don't forget to check back for the perfect zesty Pinto Bean Salad, a variation of the classic pinquito beans that MUST accompany Santa Maria style barbecue!

Thank you to all that have and are currently serving in our military! Bless ya'll!

"Santa Maria Style BBQ" Oakwood Grilled Tri-Tip

Serves 4, but can easily be doubled for a crowd!

Ingredients:

For the Tri-Tip

1, 3 lb Tri-Tip roast

Handful of red oak chips, for the grill

For the magic dust dry rub

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon granulated garlic

1 tablespoon Kosher salt

For the basting mixture

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup garlic-infused vegetable oil (heat oil in a small pot with a few crushed garlic cloves until the garlic just turns golden, remove from heat and allow to cool)

Directions:

Soak the wood chips in enough cool water to cover for at least an hour before grilling.

Coat both sides of the Tri-Tip with half the dry rub, pressing to adhere. Let rest for 30 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile prepare a charcoal grill to medium hot, placing the hot coals to one side, leaving the other side without coals for indirect cooking. When the coals have all acquired a nice ash coating (will look light gray), remove the wood chips from their soaking water, and throw over the coals. Next, add the Tri-Tip, fat side down and sear for about 5 minutes, uncovered, until charred. Turn the Tri-Tip over, fat side up and sear for another 5 minutes, uncovered, until charred.

Next, place the Tri-Tip to the indirect side of the grill (without coals), baste with some of the basting mixture and sprinkle with some of the remaining dry rub. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes or so, flip the Tri-Tip and baste again and sprinkle with some more dry rub. (You want to baste and sprinkle with the dry rub each time you flip the Tri-Tip, about 4 times.) Continue to cover and cook until an internal temperature of 125-130, about 30 minutes. (A thermometer, designed for grilling  makes this a lot easier! Check out Gadgets for my top pick!) Remove the Tri-Tip to a cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes before cutting into 1/2" slices against the grain.

Recipe adapted from Frank Ostini via Bobby Flay. Thanks Frank!

Bonjour, Mother's Day!

Being a mom is not always easy. With all the things we do from homework to housework, it's easy to forget our joie de vivre (joy of living). So this Mother's Day, I am sharing this lovely French recipe for "My Family Quiche from Beatrice," from Jamie Cat Callan's book Bonjour, Happiness! Jamie Cat Callan has written many francophile books focused on interviews and advice from hundreds of French women about staying stylish at any age, romance, and finding your joie de vivre. Her books are delightful and remind us not to forget that we are powerful and sexy women! I now try to make sure my underwear always matches, I never forget to wear perfume or my favorite Chanel lipstick (Monte Carlo), and remember to take some time for myself. It's funny how such simple things can really enhance your joie de vivre!

This recipe is from Jamie's friend Beatrice, who lives in Toulouse and is a "high-powered executive in the medical field." Jamie was impressed by the generosity that Beatrice took time from her day to make her this wonderful quiche along side a green salad for a simple and beautiful lunch. I have to say this is one of the best and unique quiches I've ever made! For starters, the fabulous pastry crust is rolled on parchment and placed, parchment and all, inside the pan, giving it a nice rustic appearance. Charming! The filling is more of a souffle which creates a creamy cloud-like layer that enrobes a generous mixture of bacon, ham, and Swiss cheese. Delicious! I have Americanized the amounts for the pastry crust, e.g., using 4 ounces butter instead of 3 1/2 ounces, etc. to great effect. In addition, I did saute the bacon and drained it before adding it to the pastry crust. So, if you want to do something really special for your mom this Mother's Day, skip the busy restaurants and make her this chic, elegant quiche that is guaranteed to enhance her joie de vivre! 

My Family Quiche from Beatrice

Serves 4-6
*This recipe calls for a 10" pan. I don't own one, so I used my 9" springform pan.

Ingredients:
For the Pastry Crust
4 ounces softened butter cut in small pieces
8 ounces flour
1 egg
1-2 teaspoons milk
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the Filling
4 egg yolks
4 egg whites
1 cup cream
3 1/2 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
7 ounces bacon cut in small bits
7 ounces cooked ham sliced, and cut in small squares
Pepper (1 pinch)
Nutmeg (1 pinch)

Directions:

For the Pastry Crust

In a bowl, put flour and salt, then add the butter and mix with fingers. Add the egg and keep on mixing with fingers. Add a drop of milk so the mix forms a ball. Let rest in the fridge for minimum half an hour. (It can be prepared earlier in the day. In that case let it stand about 20 minutes out of the fridge before rolling it.)

When ready to use, take the dough out and using a rolling pin, roll it on a piece of cooking paper. Place it in the pan with the paper. Preheat the oven to 460 degrees.

For the Filling

In a bowl, mix the egg yolks and the cream. Add the shredded cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. (Usually you don't need to add salt, as the bacon, ham, and cheese are already salted.) Beat the whites until hard. (I think she means firm peaks.) Carefully incorporate the whites (without breaking) (I think she means fold in gently) in the bowl containing yolks, cream, and cheese. In the pan, on the unbaked crust, place bacon and ham. Pour the filling in the crust. Place low in the oven for 30 minutes.

Serve with a green salad.

Carne de Cerdo!

I know I promised I would teach you how to make "Carnitas," and today is your lucky day! Carnitas, or "little meats," consists of chunks of meat (usually pork) that are slowly simmered until crispy on the outside and meltingly tender on the inside. They make fantastic tacos! Serve them with corn or flour tortillas, Salsa Mexicana, Guacamole or Guacamole Taquero, and some crema or sour cream drizzled on top! They are truly heavenly and perfect for Cinco de Mayo! Classic fiesta food! Refried beans and/or rice make nice accompaniments. Don't forget a nice cold cerveza or La Margarita Original to wash it all down!

Pork Carnitas

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 pound boneless pork shoulder or country-style ribs
6 cloves of garlic, halved
Zest of 1 orange, cut into strips
3/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, rolled in the palms of your hands (if you can't find Mexican oregano, just omit it, do not add Italian oregano as it does not taste the same)
Sea salt
1 tablespoon canola or safflower oil, if needed
12, 6-8" corn or flour tortillas, warmed

Directions:

Cut off any big pieces of fat from the pork and put them into a wide, heavy saucepan (like cast iron) or frying pan. Cut the pork into 1 1/2" cubes. Add the pork to the pan with the garlic, orange zest, and 2 teaspoons sea salt. Try to keep the meat in a single layer, if possible.

Next, add the orange juice and pour in enough water to barely cover the meat. Add the oregano, if using.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook until the meat is fork tender, about 1 1/2 hours. At this point, you can remove the orange peel, if you like, but it will disintegrate if left in. 

Uncover the pan, raise the heat and continue cooking the pork, stirring occasionally, until all the fat is rendered and the meat is browning in the melted fat, about 15-30 minutes or so. (The time to allow the meat to become crispy depends on the size of the pan used and how much water is added. Just be patient. It's worth the wait!) There is usually enough melted fat in the pan, but if necessary, add 1 tablespoon oil. (I've never had to add oil.) When the meat is brown and crisp, using a slotted spoon, transfer it to a colander and let any excess fat drain away. (If there are any pieces of fat left, remove them, no one wants to eat that!)

Immediately transfer the pork to a warmed serving bowl. Serve with the salsa, guacamole, crema, and tortillas to let your guests make their own. Muy Bueno!