Texas!

Today's NASCAR race is in Texas. When I decided to do the NASCAR challange this season, my first thought for Texas was I need to make ribs. Now I've never made ribs before, and I think I've only ever had them 2 or 3 times in my life, so I was very weary!
I was looking through a Bobby Flay cookbook, and found a recipe for Peanut-Chipotle BBQ Ribs. Now for those of you who don't know much about Bobby Flay, he is a terrific south-west/grill chef, who makes the most amazing sauces. They are always so complex with so many comlimentary flavors. You'll see that when you read all of the recipes that compound on each other below.
Now, not to be overshadowed by the ribs, was a Zucchini and Corn Quesadilla. It says this is Mesa Grill's most popular item, and I understand why! It is so fresh and complex tasting with tons of spice!

Barbecued Ribs with Peanut-Chipotle Sauce

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Corn and Zucchini Quesadilla with Smoked Tomato Salsa and Avocado Relish

Corn and Zucchini Quesadilla with Smoked Tomato Salsa and Avocado Relish

Three 8-inch tortillas
¼ cup grated Monterey Jack
¼ cup grated white cheddar
2 tbsp. chopped red onion
1 jalapeno, minced
¼ cup fresh corn kernels
Salt and pepper
½ cup Smoked Tomato Salsa (recipe below)
½ cup Avocado Relish (recipe below)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Place 2 tortillas on an ungreased baking sheet. Spread half the cheeses, onion, jalapeno, julienned zucchini, and corn on each and season with salt and pepper. Stack the 2 layers and cover with the last tortilla. Bake for 8-12 minutes.
Cut into quarters and serve with salsa and relish.


Smoked Tomato Salsa:
2 medium cold smoked tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp. diced red onion
1 tbsp. minced jalapeno
½ cup fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. ancho chile powder


Combine all ingredients, refrigerate. Bring to room temp. before serving


Avocado Relish:
1 ripe Haas avocado
1 tbsp. finely diced red onion
1 tbsp. minced jalapeno
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper


Combine avocado, onion, jalapeno, lime and cilantro, season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Serve at room temperature.


These are the two garnishes, I made them this morning so they would have time for the flavors to combine. Cover the avocado with plastic wrap right on the avocado to make a skin or it is likely to turn brown.

Barbecued Ribs with Peanut-Chipotle Sauce


1 cup soy sauce
4 tbsp. chopped ginger
2 racks of ribs
2 ½ cups peanut chipotle sauce (recipe below)


Peanut Chipotle Sauce:
1 ½ cups New-Mexico style Barbeque sauce (recipe below)
½ cup smooth peanut butter
¼ cup soy sauce
1 ½ tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 ½ tsp. pureed canned chipotles
1 ½ tbsp. honey


Combine all ingredients, refrigerate covered for up to 4 days.


New-Mexico Style Barbeque Sauce:
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ medium red onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
6 plum tomatoes, diced
½ cup ketchup
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tbsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. pasilla chile powder
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. worstershire sauce


In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and sweat the onion and garlic until translucent. Add tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes, add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes.
Puree the mixture in a food processor, pour into a bowl and cool.

There are many ingredients in the BBQ sauce, but many you probably have on hand. One thing I did was buy whole dried ancho chiles, and ground them into powder myself.

For the ribs, per Katie's instructions, I boiled them on Saturday afternoon in a large pot of water for an hour. Then I placed them in a pyrex dish, covered in plastic wrap, and left them overnight.

I took them out of the fridge and washed off the fat, then i dried them, seasoned with garlic salt and pepper, and grill them.

For grilling: I placed them on the grill, cooked for 5 minutes on the first side, flipped and basted with BBQ sauce, then flipped them and basted, and I reapeated this step 4 times, basting and cooking each side 2 times. I liked mine as they were, JJ added a little more sauce on the side for dipping.

Bobby Flay’s Bold American Food, Bobby Flay. Warner Books, Inc: New York, 1994.