Rio Grande Rub Steaks

Ingredients

• 4 (8 to 10-ounce, 1-inch thick) sirloin strip steaks
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (a palmful) ground Ancho chiles or dark chili powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (a palmful) ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 large red onion, cut into 4 thick slices
• Extra-virgin olive or vegetable oil, to coat
• Salt and pepper

Serving suggestions:

• Cracked Cornbread and Cheese Squares
• Mexican Salad

Directions

Let steaks rest from refrigerator for a few minutes to take the chill off.

Preheat grill pan or indoor electric grill to high heat. Combine spice rub ingredients: ground Ancho chile, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Rub spice blend into steaks.

Coat sliced red onion with a drizzle of oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Grill steaks and onion slices 5 minutes on each side. Remove from heat. Let meat stand 5 minutes for juices to redistribute. Season steaks with salt. Top with separated rings of red grilled onions. Serve with hot Cracked Cornbread and Cheese Squares and Mexican Salad.

Cracked Corn and Cheese Squares:

• 1 (8 1/2-ounce) package corn muffin mix, mixed to package directions
• Softened butter, to grease baking dish
• 1/3 pound Monterey Jack or pepper Jack, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with butter. Stir cheese, corn, and scallions into packaged mixed corn muffin batter.

Pour batter into baking dish and bake at 400 degrees F until golden, 15 to 18 minutes.

Yield: 4 + servings

Mexican Salad:

• 2 ripe avocados
• 3 vine-ripe tomatoes
• 1/2 sweet onion, sliced
• Chopped cilantro, about 2 tablespoons
• 2 limes
• Coarse salt
• Extra virgin oil, for drizzling

Cut avocados in half, working around the pit. Separate the 2 halves. Remove pit and scoop out avocado flesh with a spoon. Wedge avocados and pile in the center of a large platter. Seed and wedge tomatoes and arrange around the avocados. Spread sliced onion over platter. Sprinkle platter with cilantro. Squeeze the juice of 2 limes evenly over vegetables. Season with coarse salt. Drizzle platter with oil and serve.

Yield: 4 servings