Bobby Flay's Grill It! - Bobby Flay [51]
This marinade is Sicilian in inspiration; they love their blood oranges and rosemary in Sicily! It’s a somewhat unexpected, totally delicious combination that gives real zest to otherwise mild pork chops. Blood oranges not only are gorgeous in color, but they also have a slightly sour tang that navel oranges lack. Balsamic vinegar, with its own play of sweet and tangy, is a great match for the blood orange juice. Robust rosemary adds a pop of fresh pine-like flavor to the marinade and keeps the whole dish grounded with an overall savory, not sweet, taste. If blood orange juice isn’t available or out-of-season use two parts orange juice to one part cranberry juice.
Serves 4
2½ cups fresh blood orange juice (from 8 to 10 large blood oranges)
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
4 (1-inch-thick) center-cut bone-in pork loin chops
1 tablespoon honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whisk together ½ cup of the juice, ¼ cup of the oil, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and the rosemary in a large baking dish. Add the pork chops and turn to coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
Pour the remaining 2 cups juice into a small saucepan and boil over high heat until reduced to 3 tablespoons. Transfer the reduced juice to a blender, add the remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar and the honey, and blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add the remaining ¼ cup oil and blend until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper. The vinaigrette can be made 4 hours in advance and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Heat your grill to medium-high.
Remove the pork from the marinade and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown and slightly charred.
Remove from the grill and immediately drizzle with the vinaigrette. Tent loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing ½ inch thick.
Blue Corn Cuban Taco
Cuban sandwiches are one of my favorite things to eat, so I had to figure out a way to serve them at my southwestern restaurant Mesa Grill. This is what I came up with. While the classic Cuban sandwich is made with pork shoulder that has been braised for several hours in a stock flavored with citrus, garlic, and herbs, I opted for a quicker version made with fast-cooking pork tenderloin. I marinate the pork to get that garlicky kick and then grill it until slightly charred for additional flavor and texture. To keep things southwestern, blue corn tortillas replace the soft and sweet Cuban bread, and spicy pickled jalapeños replace the pickles.
Serves 4
6 tablespoons canola oil
Juice of 1 orange
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
1½ pounds pork tenderloin, fat trimmed
8 (6-inch) blue corn tortillas
8 thin slices Swiss cheese, sliced in half
8 thin slices smoked ham
4 pickled jalapeño chiles, drained and thinly sliced
Grilled Red Pepper Relish, optional
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish, optional
Whisk together 3 tablespoons of the oil, the orange juice, garlic, and oregano in a baking dish. Add the pork and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
Heat your grill to high.
Remove the pork from the marinade and place on the grill. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 150 degrees F, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the grill, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into ¼-inch-thick slices.
Reduce the heat of the grill to medium. Place the tortillas on the grill and grill for approximately 10 seconds per side to make them pliable. Lay the tortillas on a flat surface. Divide the ingredients evenly over one half of each tortilla. Start with 1 slice of the cheese, followed by a slice of the ham, then a few slices of the pork, a few slices of the jalapeños, and another slice of the cheese. Fold the tops of the tortillas over the ingredients