3 Meatily Delicious Cinco De Mayo Recipes

If you can put your beer down long enough to work the oven, you should read this immediately.

With Cinco de Mayo happening this weekend, we asked Absolutely Avocados author Gaby Dalkin to give us a few Mexican-style recipes to help us soak up all those micheladas. Prepare youself for a feast of chorizo gravy, flank steak, carne asada…and maybe a couple avocados, too.

Chorizo Gravy Guacamole Loaded Nachos

What happens when two of your best friends make chorizo gravy biscuits for breakfast and there is leftover chorizo gravy? The Ultimate Chorizo Gravy–Guacamole Loaded Nachos, of course! Matt and Adam, the geniuses behind the photography and food styling in this book, and two of my best friends, made the most decadent chorizo gravy– laced biscuits one day while we were vacationing in Palm Springs. My fiancé (at the time) and I, being the nacho fanatics we are, decided that the extra gravy needn’t be tossed but instead should be incorporated into that day’s lunch. Thus Chorizo Gravy–Guacamole Loaded Nachos were born. And trust me, you’ll never want to have any other nachos ever again. If queso quesadilla isn’t readily available, substitute shredded Monterey Jack.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1 canned chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce

3 ounces Mexican pork chorizo

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup 1% milk, warmed

10 ounces tortilla chips

10 ounces shredded queso quesadilla

8 ounces shredded Mexican-style cheese

1 cup pico de gallo

1 batch Chipotle Guacamole (recipe below)

1⁄4 cup chopped pickled jalapeño chile peppers

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions

Instructions: Finely mince the chipotle pepper and transfer it in a medium saucepan with the chorizo over medium-high heat. Cook the chorizo, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat, until fully cooked and browned, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the flour and stir to combine. Let the flour cook for 1 minute, and then whisk in the milk. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring. Once the gravy thickens, remove from the heat and set aside.


Preheat the oven to 350°F.


Lay the tortilla chips on a baking sheet in a single layer. (For easy cleanup, line the baking sheet with parchment paper.) Drizzle on the chorizo gravy, followed by the queso quesadilla and Mexican-style cheese. Bake for 5 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted. Sprinkle the nachos with pico de gallo, guacamole, pickled jalapeños, chives, and scallions. Serve immediately.

Grilled Flank Steak with Avocado Chimichurri

Each summer there comes a point when I refuse to stay inside and instead find myself poolside and by the grill during all free daylight hours. I love a good flank steak that’s been marinated and is packed with flavor. Serve it with an avocado chimichurri and the creaminess from the avocado and kick from the vinegar will perfectly complement the steak!

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1⁄2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

11⁄2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound flank steak

1⁄2 Hass avocado

1 cup firmly packed fresh parsley

2 tablespoons firmly packed fresh oregano

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Instructions: Mix 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the cumin, dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Rub this on the flank steak and set aside in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.


Prepare a gas or charcoal grill.


Remove the pit from the avocado half and discard. Remove the avocado from the skin, and place the avocado flesh in the bowl of a food processor. Add the parsley, fresh oregano, garlic cloves, vinegar, the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Pulse for 1 to 2 minutes, until the parsley is finely chopped. With the food processor whirling, drizzle in the remaining 1⁄2 cup olive oil. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Set the chimichurri aside.


Grill the flank steak over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, and then rotate 90 degrees in order to achieve crossed grill marks; grill for 2 minutes more. Repeat this process on the other side of the steak and remove from the grill. About 8 minutes of grilling will result in a flank steak on the medium-rare side. Increase the grilling time if you want a more well-done steak.


Transfer the flank steak to a cutting board, tent with a piece of aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. When you are ready to serve, thinly slice the steak against the grain and serve with the chimichurri.

Carne Asada Fries

I’m fairly certain these fries are one of the reasons I’m married. They are the epitome of man food. First, they are loaded with meat. Second, they are messy. Third, they are most definitely meant to be eaten as finger food, in front of the TV, on game day. I’ll whip these up for my hubby anytime there’s a big game and he is all smiles.

Prep Time: 4 to 6 hours

Cook Time: 50 to 60 minutes

Total Time: 5 to 7 hours

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:

1 orange

1 lime

1⁄2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped jalapeño chile pepper

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 pound flank steak

3 russet potatoes (about 3 pounds)

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon onion flakes

1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese

1 cup pico de gallo

1 batch Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa (recipe below)

Instructions: Zest and juice the orange into a large bowl. Zest and juice the lime into the same bowl. Add the cilantro, 1⁄4 cup of the olive oil, the jalapeño, garlic, and salt to the bowl and stir to combine.


Put the flank steak in a zip-top plastic bag and add the marinade mixture on top. Remove any excess air from the plastic bag and zip the top closed. Transfer the steak to the fridge for 4 to 6 hours to marinate.


About 45 minutes before your steak is done marinating, start to prepare the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Peel the potatoes and slice into thick, long wedges. Each potato should yield about 8 wedges. Put the wedges into a zip-top plastic bag and add the garlic salt, onion flakes, cumin, black pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Zip the top of the bag closed and give the bag a gentle shake to coat the potatoes with the seasoning. Spread the potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Flip the potatoes over and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until they are golden brown. Let cool slightly.


Prepare a gas or charcoal grill. Remove the steak from the marinade and grill over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, then rotate 90 degrees in order to achieve crossed grill marks and cook for 2 minutes more. Repeat this process on the other side of the steak and remove from the grill. About 8 minutes of grilling will result in a flank steak on the medium-rare side. Increase the grilling time if you want a more well-done steak. Transfer the flank steak to a cutting board, tent it with a piece of aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut the carne asada into thin slices against the grain and then chop into 1-inch pieces.


Arrange the potato wedges on a large ovenproof serving platter. Top with the shredded cheese and melt the cheese in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Top the cheesy fries with the chopped carne asada. Drizzle the pico de gallo on top and then dollop with the salsa. Serve immediately.

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