1 pound boneless beef sirloin, cut 1 inch thick
2 Tbsp. rum
2 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 can (15-ounces) black beans, rinsed, drained, and mashed
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. snipped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. chopped smoked salted almonds
12 slices hearty country-style bread, toasted
1 cup shredded fresh spinach
1 large ripe papaya, peeled and sliced

Place beef in a resealable plastic bag. For marinade, combine the rum, lime juice, oil, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper; pour over beef in bag. Marinate in the refrigerator several hours or overnight, turning bag occasionally. Drain the steak, discarding marinade. Grill on a rack over medium coals for 11 to 18 minutes or until desired doneness, turning once halfway through. Meanwhile, in a bowl combine the mashed black beans, sour cream, coriander, cumin, cilantro, and almonds. Thinly slice the steak across the grain. Spread the bread slices with the bean mixture. Arrange steak slices on half of the bread; top with spinach, papaya, and remaining bread slices, bean mixture side down.

Serves 6

2 pounds flank steak, trimmed of fat and tough membranes (900 g)
12 soft corn shells, warmed Marinade:
¾ cup vegetable oil (185ml)
2 tablespoons lime juice (30ml)
1 tablespoon dried chillies (15ml)
1½ cup dark Mexican beer (375ml)
½ cup (125ml) plus 1 tablespoon olive oil (15ml)
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro sprigs and lime wedges for garnish

Preheat the barbecue to 425°F/220°C or high heat.

Place the steak in a large sealable plastic bag and pour in marinade ingredients.  Seal the bag and toss to ensure the steak is fully covered in the marinade.  Place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 6 hours to overnight.

Remove the steak from the marinade and discard excess marinade.

Oil the grill and season steak with salt and pepper.

Cook steak over a hot grill, turning after 4 minutes or until crusty and deep char marks are achieved.  Turn steak and continue to cook for an additional 4 minutes (for medium rare).  Remove steak from grill and cover loosely with aluminium foil.  Let meat rest 10 minutes before carving.

To serve, slice the steak into thin slices across the grain and pile steak slices on a plate. Garnish with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges. Serve with warmed soft tacos.

Yield: 6-8 servings

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 pound ground beef
5 scallions, thinly sliced
½ cup raisins
2 tablespoons dry oregano
1 tablespoon crushed jalapeno pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cumin seed, ground
2 teaspoons smoky paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
2 roasted red peppers, diced
½ cup green olives, pitted

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water

Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat and add the oil. Add the ground beef and cook until slightly browned. Add the scallions and cook an additional 2 minutes or until softened. Add raisins, oregano, jalapeno pepper flakes, cumin, smoky paprika, salt and pepper. Cook an additional minute to toast the spices. Fold in the roasted peppers and olives and allow the filling to cool.

Preheat the oven to 375°.
To assemble the empanadas, roll out the sheets of puff pastry 2 inches larger than its original size. Cut circles out f the dough using a biscuit cutter. Place about 1 tablespoon of the filling on one side of the circle and brush the edges with the egg wash. Fold the empanada in half.  Brush the tops with the egg wash and create a decorative edge.

Place the empanadas on a parchment lined sheet tray and bake until golden brown and crisp.  You can alternatively deep fry the empanadas.

Other variations on the filling include:
Cream cheese and fresh herbs such as basil or thyme
Cream cheese and shredded meats, such as ham or chicken.

Sweet fillings:
Mango pieces cooked in sugar to form a marmalade
Apple or cherry pie filling

Two-foot-long baguette, cut into four sections
Dijon mustard
1 large mango (½ mango needed for this recipe)
1 large shallot
3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons kosher salt
12 thinly sliced eye round steaks (sometimes called steak medallions)
Cooking spray
6 deli slices of provolone cheese, cut in half

Preheat grill or grill pan to high.

Cut each baguette section in half lengthwise. Slather one half of each section with mustard. Set aside.

Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin of the mango, then use a pairing knife to cut the flesh away from the pit. Use ½ mango for this recipe; reserve remaining mango for other use.

Combine the ½ mango and shallot in a food processor and pulse until finely diced. Spread this mango relish over the mustard, dividing it equally among the sections. Set aside.

Combine the pepper and salt in a shallow bowl. Firmly press one side of each steak in the salt and pepper to coat well. If you like, coat the second sides, as well. But be warned, this makes them quite potent.

Lightly coat the grill or grill pan with cooking spray. Grill the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes, or until cooked through. Flip once after about 1 minute.

Lay half a cheese slice on each steak. Close the lid of the grill or cover the pan, turn off the heat and let the steaks sit for 1 minute, or until the cheese melts.

To assemble the grinders, set 3 steaks over the mango mixture on each baguette section, then top with the other half of the section.

Makes 4 servings.

1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 center-cut beef tenderloin, 2 to 2-1/2 pounds
Extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large baguette, cut in half lengthwise
1 bunch arugula, washed and dried
1 cup grated Fontina cheese

In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, horseradish, and mustard. Set aside.

Trim the tenderloin of any excess fat and silver skin and allow to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling. Lightly brush or spray with oil and season with salt and pepper. Sear over Direct Medium heat until well marked, about 15 minutes, turning a quarter turn every 3 to 4 minutes. Continue grilling over Indirect Medium heat until cooked to desired doneness, 15 to 20 minutes longer for medium-rare, turning once. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into 1/8-inch slices.

Lightly brush the cut side of the baguette with oil and grill, cut side down, over Direct Medium heat until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds.

Spread the baguette with the sour cream mixture, layer with arugula and sliced tenderloin, then top with the grated cheese. Cut crosswise into individual sandwiches.

Makes 6 servings

2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 onions, 1 sliced and 1 minced
3 garlic cloves, 1 left whole and 2 minced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup prepared tomato sauce
1 fresh or pickled jalapeno chile, or to taste, seeded and chopped (wear rubber gloves)
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper
12 (7-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
Vegetable oil, for frying flautas
3 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce

Accompaniments: Guacamole, sour cream, and your favorite salsa

In a large saucepan, combine the beef, sliced onion, whole garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered partially, until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Let the beef cool in the broth and drain it, reserving 1/3 cup of the broth. Using 2 forks, shred the beef and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over moderately low heat. Cook the minced onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the beef, tomato sauce, chile, cumin, reserved broth, and salt and pepper, and simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let the beef filling cool.

Working with 1 warmed tortilla at a time, and keeping the others covered with a kitchen towel, spread about 2 rounded tablespoons of the filling down the center of each tortilla, roll up the tortillas, enclosing the filling, and secure the ends closed with wooden picks. Keep the rolled tortillas covered with plastic wrap. The flautas may be prepared up to this point 2 hours in advance and kept covered tightly with plastic wrap and chilled.

Pour enough oil into a straight-sided skillet to reach about 1/2-inch up the sides. Heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking. Fry the flautas in batches, turning them, until crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer them with tongs to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Spread the lettuce on a platter or divide it among 6 plates, arrange the flautas on it, and top them with guacamole, sour cream, and salsa.

1 medium onion, halved and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, halved and sliced
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
6 sandwich rolls, split and toasted
Mustard-Horseradish Cream
6 romaine lettuce leaves
1 pound roast beef, thinly sliced

Sauté onion and bell pepper in hot oil in a skillet over medium heat 2 minutes or until tender.

Spread cut sides of each roll with 1 tablespoon Mustard-Horseradish Cream. Top bottom half of each roll evenly with lettuce, onion, bell pepper, and roast beef. Spoon remaining Mustard-Horseradish Cream evenly over beef; top with remaining rolls.

2 slices rye bread
Dijon mustard
mayonnaise
4 ounces lean deli corned beef, thinly sliced
2 ounces swiss cheese, thinly sliced
1/3 cup sauerkraut, well drained
butter or margarine, for frying

Recipe Directions
1. Spread 1 slice of bread with mustard and the other with mayonnaise.
2. Place Swiss cheese, beef& sauerkraut between the bread slices.
3. Brown in melted butter in a skillet, on both sides and until cheese is melted.

2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
or – 32 ounces fully cooked frozen meatballs
1 medium green or red bell pepper
1 medium onion
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2-1/2 cups prepared spaghetti sauce with basil
8 French bread rolls (6 inches long each)
1/2 cup (2 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese

Recipe Directions
Heat oven to 350*F. Cut French bread horizontally in half to within 1/2 inch of one side. Remove small amount of soft center from bottom and top of each piece. Use bread removed from center to make 1 cup crumbs.
Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, eggs, onion, garlic, salt and pepper; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape beef mixture into 24 meatballs.
Place meatballs on rack in broiler pan. Bake in 350*F oven 25 to 30 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 160*F on an instant read thermometer.
Or, if using fully cooked meatballs, add directly to spaghetti sauce and continue.
Meanwhile cut bell pepper and medium onion into thin strips. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Cook vegetables 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender; stir occasionally. Add meatballs and spaghetti sauce to vegetables. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until heated through.
To serve, place 3 meatballs and equal amount of sauce mixture on bottom half of each roll. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Close sandwich.

1 baguette
1/4 cup mayonnaise
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3/4 pound thinly sliced roast beef
6 ounces thinly sliced Cheddar
1 tomato, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Recipe Directions
Cut the baguette into 4 portions. Slice each portion in half lengthwise. Spread the bottom sides with the mayonnaise and the top sides with the mustard. Arrange the roast beef on each mayonnaise-spread side, then top with the Cheddar, tomato, and onion. Season with the salt and pepper, then put the sandwiches together.

Yield: Makes 4 servings