How the Trainers Eat, vol. 3

And now for another look at my tasty eats…

As summer is winding down (or just picking up here in the foggy environs of San Francisco), I wanted to get as much mileage as I could out of all the wonderful corn from Eating with the Seasons.  It is also the time of year for grilling!

With that in mind, I decided to grill some steaks – my favorite being a marinated hanger cut – as well as grill the corn, and then create a wonderful spicy soup that could be enjoyed either warm or cold.

Ingredients

6 ears of corn

1½ green bell peppers, chopped

3 T. butter or ghee

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 white onion, chopped

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper

¼ tsp. chili powder

4 red-skinned potatoes, peeled and chopped

6 radishes, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

3 c. chicken broth (homemade if you can)

4 dried arbol chiles

Directions

About an hour before starting the meal, soak the corn – in husks – in a pot of water.  When ready to cook, place the corn (still in the husks) and peppers on a hot grill over medium heat.  Turn occasionally, letting the husks dry and begin to char.  Cook for about 15 minutes.  Peel the husks off, being careful of any hot water that might drip out of the husks.  When corn and peppers are lightly charred, remove from the grill and set aside to cool.

In a large pot, melt the butter.  Saute the onions and garlic until translucent.  Add the potatoes, cayenne, chili powder, and salt to taste.  Stir to coat the potatoes.  Cook until the potatoes begin to soften and then add 2 cups of chicken broth.  Bring to a light simmer, stirring frequently so as not to burn.

Add the radishes, carrots, and dried chiles and stir.  At this point, chop the green peppers and add to the pot.  Stand the corn cobs vertically on end and slice off the kernels; add to the pot as well.  Continue stirring to incorporate all the ingredients.  When potatoes and carrots are soft, remove the pot from the heat.

Working in batches, carefully ladle the soup into a blender or food processor and puree to your desired consistency.  Add the pureed soup back into the pot and add the remaining chicken broth to get the thickness of soup you would like.  Serve hot or cold with a garnish of fresh cilantro and a dollop of whole milk sour cream.

How do the Trainers Eat

Here are a collection of my more recent culinary endeavors to get your mind going in the kitchen.  Please email me at matt@focusedtrainers.com for recipes or for nutrition/cooking consultations.  Enjoy

Chimicurri Salmon with Sauteed Cabbage

Sirloin Strips and Braised Greens

Garam Masal Pork Chop with Cumin Spiced Boc Choi and Asparagus

Roast Leg of Lamb with Tarragon Mint Butter served on Garland of Spring Vegetables

From Rick’s Kitchen

Appetizer: Peel and Eat BBQ Shrimp

Entrée: Rib-Eye Steak with Chimichurri Marinade and Dried Chile-Mustard Sauce

Mango and Black Bean Salsa

Dessert: Rick’s Chocolate Shake

Recipe

Steaks:

• 8 rib-eye steaks 8 to 10 ounces each
• Chimichurri marinade, recipe follows
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Dried Chile-Mustard, recipe follows

Directions:

Place the steaks in a large shallow baking dish or pan, cover with the marinade and turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered for 1 to 4 hours. Preheat grill to high. Remove steaks from the marinade, shaking off any excess, and season with salt and pepper, discard remaining marinade). Grill until golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn over and continue cooking 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare.

Chimichurri Marinade:

• 6 cloves garlic
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 2 jalapeno peppers, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup finely chopped oregano leaves
• 3/4 cup olive oil

Dried Chile-Mustard Sauce:

• 2 cups Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup whole grain mustard
• 3 tablespoons chile powder
• 3 tablespoons warm water

Desert: Rick’s Chocolate Shake

Serves 2

• Two scoops Organic Chocolate Protein Powder
• 8 oz Almond Milk
• 2 Tablespoons Almond butter
• 8 cubes ice

Blend and Serve