Smoked London Broil With Ancho Chilli Jam And Mediterranean Salad

Ancho chillies pick up smoky tones in this recipe from the chef at Lovells of Lake Forest in Illinois. It's great thinly sliced in a sandwich and, paired with this salad, it's a fusion dish brimming with flavour.

For the Ancho chilli jam:

1/2 pound dried Ancho chillies
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup red currant jelly
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
4 cloves garlic
1 shallot, quartered
2 London Broil steaks, about 1-1/2 pound each
Mesquite chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

For the Mediterranean salad:

4 tomatoes, large dice
1 onion, small dice
24 pitted Kalamata olives
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

To make the jam: Halve the chillies; remove and discard seeds. Place in a medium glass bowl; pour enough boiling water over chillies to cover them. Cover bowl with a plate; allow chillies to steep 30 minutes to reconstitute. Drain chillies and cool completely in refrigerator. Combine chillies and all other marinade ingredients in a food processor. Purée until smooth. Chill until ready to use (jam may be made up to 3 days ahead of time).

Rub the steaks with the jam, place in a resealable plastic bag, and marinate for one hour at room temperature.

Meanwhile, make the salad: Combine tomatoes, onion, olives, lemon juice, and oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss lightly and refrigerate.

Follow the grill's instructions for using wood chips for smoking. Place steaks in centre of cooking grate and grill for 8 to 10 for medium-rare, or until desired doneness, turning once halfway through grilling time. Let steaks rest for 5 minutes before serving. Slice thinly on the diagonal against the grain. Serve warm with the salad on the side.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Beef buying tips:

*  The meat needs to be dark in color - meaning it has been hung well and mature.

* A thick covering of fat which adds flavor and prevents the joint from drying out during cooking.

* The meat should be marbled. Marbling is small slivers of fat running through the flesh. Again this adds flavor and prevents drying out during cooking.

Source: articlesbase

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