Santa Maria Rub

1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 ½ teaspoon pepper
1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Trim all fat from tri-tips. Combine rub ingredients in small bowl until blended. Spread on beef just before cooking or up to 5 hours in advance. Barbecue over medium-hot coals, turning occasionally about 35 minutes or until desired doneness. To serve, cut tri-tip across the grain into thin slices. Serves 8-10.

Ranch-Style Pinquito Beans

Ingredients:

1 pound (small pink) pinquito beans
2 cans (14 ½ ounce) beef broth
4 ½ cups water
1 pound ground beef
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1 can (7 ounces) diced green chilies
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon salt

Place beans, beef broth and water in 8-quart Dutch oven; cover. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Sauté ground beef, onions and garlic; drain. Add beef mixture and remaining ingredients to beans. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour. If a thinner consistency is desired, add more beef broth. Makes 10 cups.

Santa Maria Style Salsa

Yields 3 1/2 cups
3 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup finely chopped California green chiles
2 tbsp. snipped cilantro
1tbs. vinegar
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of garlic salt
Pinch of dried oregano, crushed
Few drops of hot pepper sauce

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and let stand for one hour to blend flavors

Grilled Grasshoppers

Ingredients:

12 Large Jalapeños split lengthwise with seeds removed
1lb Chorizo
 

Fill Jalapeño halves with Chorizo.  Place on Grill on low heat.  Do not turn.  When meat is cooked thru, Serve

Grilled Tangerine Endive

Ingredients:

6 Belgian Endives
2 Tangerines
1 Tbs white wine Vinegar
Olive Oil
 

Remove Zest from Tangerines.  Combine Vinegar and Zest with Juice from Tangerines  Drizzle Olive Oil and Wisk creating emulation. Use this mixture to drizzle over endive when serving.

Split Endive in half making sure not to let them fall apart.  Brush cut side with olive oil and place in pan or indirect heat cut side down.  when tender (5 to 10 min)  Remove from heat, drizzle with emulation and serve.

Grilled Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 medium heads romaine lettuce
• 12 thin slices French bread, cut sharply on the diagonal
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• About 3/4 cup Creamy Caesar Dressing (recipe follows)
• 12 anchovy fillets, drained and blotted dry (optional)
• 1 chunk (8 ounces) Parmesan cheese for shaving over the salad
• Freshly ground or cracked black peppercorns

You'll also need:
2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably oak), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained

1. Strip any blemished or wilted leaves off the heads of lettuce. Cut each head in half lengthwise, leaving the stem end attached. Place the cut side under cold running water and rinse it thoroughly, gently separating the leaves with your fingers but leaving them attached to the stem. Rinse all of the lettuce until clean, a process that may take 5 to 10 minutes. Gently shake off the water, and put the lettuce halves in a salad spinner and spin dry.

2. Lightly brush the bread slices with the olive oil. The recipe can be prepared to this stage a couple of hours ahead. Keep the lettuce refrigerated.

3. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to high, then toss all the wood chips or chunks directly on the coals. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke.

4. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the lettuce halves, cut side up, and bread slices on the hot grate, and grill until the lettuce leaves are slightly wilted and singed (the inside should remain crisp) and the bread is a deep golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes per side.

5. Transfer the grilled lettuce halves to a platter or plates, cut side up. Cut off and discard the stem ends. Spoon the dressing over the lettuce. Place a slice of grilled bread on either side of each lettuce half and arrange 2 anchovy fillets, if using, in an X on top of each. Using a vegetable peeler, shave large thin slices of the cheese over the salad. Sprinkle it with pepper and serve at once.

Creamy Caesar Dressing

Yield: 1-1/2 cups

• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 3 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped (optional)
• 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

1. Place the garlic, anchovies, if using, cheese, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and egg in a blender or food processor and purée to a smooth paste. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar.

2. Add the salt and pepper and process until a smooth, creamy dressing forms. Taste for seasoning. The dressing can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.

The Dessert

Classic Strawberry Shortcake with Fresh Sauce

Ingredients:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. cold whipping cream

Fresh Strawberry Sauce:

1 pint basket strawberries (12 ounces), stemmed and halved
Sugar to taste

Topping:

1 pint basket  strawberries (12 ounces), stemmed and sliced
1 1/2 cups whipping cream, whipped and sweetened with sugar, to taste
Mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. To make shortcakes, in bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Gently stir with fork, gradually mix in cream until just combined. Mixture should barely hold together. With hands, form dough into six balls; place 3 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in center of oven 25 to 30 minutes until light golden brown; cool on baking sheet.

Fresh Strawberry Sauce: