Gaucho Steak Dinner

You ask yourself, "What is Gaucho Grilling?". Well I will answer, Gaucho Grilling is a style of grilling from South America where wood fire is used to cook under over and around the the food. This cooking style is very simple and most of the cooking utilizes a cast iron griddle called a "plancha" and a cast iron grate called a "parrillia" (Same as a grill). The "do not touch" principle of cooking is what makes this type of grilling so tasty. You only flip the meat once, really letting the heat and smoke do the work. To cook this meal you will need both types of cooking apparatus mentioned above, if you don't have a "plancha" you can make the potatoes on the stove top using a skillet.

Ingredients
4 Rib eye steaks (approx 1 inch thick)
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
4 Ears of corn
4 Potatoes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

Potatoes

1. Heat the cast iron griddle and cast iron grate over a moderately hot fire.
2. Using a box grater coarsely shred the 4 potatoes onto a work surface into 8 fluffy piles. Do not press the piles down.
   
3. Add the oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering.
   
4. Transfer the potato piles to the skillet being careful to keep them fluffy and evenly spaced.
   
5. Cook over moderate heat for 10 minutes until the pootatoes are browned and crisp on the bottom. Turn the piles and cook for another 10 minutes until the potatoes are browned and crisp. Season with salt and serve.
   

While the potatoes are cooking the steaks are to be placed on the grill over the moderate heat

Steaks

1. Season the steaks with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
   
2. Place the steaks on the grill and let cook for 10 min on each side.
   

Corn

Soak the corn in water 1 hour before cooking. Wrap the soaked corn in aluminum foil and place in the hot coals. Remove corn from coals after 15 min. Turn corn once during the 15 min.

For a fish option you can place a salmon fillet on a cedar plank and cook as you would the beef, but you do not turn the salmon over.

Here is a posting from the first guest chef on the blog. Our guest vegetarian chef Sarah G has graciously provided us with this tasty meal from the Vegetarian times. If you're not a vegetarian and absolutely must have meat you can substitute a good cut of beef (rib eye) for the for the Seitan.

Ingredient List
Serves 12
• Squash Purée
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 14-oz. can light coconut milk
• 1 tsp. unrefined sugar
•
• Habanero Jerk Sauce
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely diced shallots
• 1/2 habanero chile, minced
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/3 tsp. ground cloves
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup lime juice
• 1 tsp. unrefined sugar
•
• Rice Cakes
• Olive oil for brushing pans and rice cakes
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
• 1/2 cup finely chopped canned bamboo shoots
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 cups watercress, for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, for garnish
•
• Seitan Mixture
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 cup cubed seitan or firm tofu
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
Directions
1. To make Squash Purée: Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in squash and thyme, then coconut milk and 1 cup water. Simmer 20 minutes. Stir in sugar, and cool. Purée in blender until smooth.
2. To make Habanero Jerk Sauce: Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté shallots 7 to 9 minutes. Add habanero, paprika, thyme, allspice, and cloves, and sauté 20 seconds. Add orange juice, lime juice, and sugar, and simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
3. To make Rice Cakes: Grease 13- x 9-inch glass dish with olive oil. Purée cilantro with 1/2 cup water in blender or food processor. Combine cilantro purée, rice, bamboo shoots, and salt in bowl. Press rice mixture into prepared baking dish. Cover with parchment paper, and weigh down with second baking dish filled with cans. Cool 2 hours.
4. Heat oven to broil, and grease baking sheet with olive oil. Cut rice into 12 squares. Place on baking sheet, and brush tops lightly with oil. Broil until well browned. Meanwhile, warm Squash Purée and Habanero Jerk Sauce.
5. To make Seitan Mixture: Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté seitan and garlic 5 to 7 minutes. Add cauliflower and 1/2 cup Habanero Jerk Sauce, and sauté 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in spinach, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, or until spinach is wilted. Season with salt and pepper.
6. To serve: Ladle 1/3 cup Squash Purée onto each plate. Spoon Seitan Mixture in center, and top with Rice Cake. Spoon 2 to 3 Tbs. Habanero Jerk Sauce around plate. Toss together watercress and mint, and top each rice cake with greens mixture.