My friend from the City of Brotherly Love came to visit me this weekend and we planned a girls night in on Saturday doing what else, but eat and have a Bridget Jones marathon... yes! We couldn't decide between Asian or Mexican food so we did both. We made spring rolls with a twist with some grilled chicken and shrimp. I spiced up some steaks with a coco/cinnamon/chili rub and complimented it with my famous chunky salsa. Traditionally, I add avocado to my salsa, but there weren't any ripe ones at the supermarket :( so I changed it up a bit with some yummy diced mangos. The sweet and sour combination paired perfectly with the steaks, which had just that hint of heat. And yes, you read correctly, I did add cocoa to the steak rub! Crazy, right? Not really. I had a Mexican hot cocoa once at
Max Brenner, which was surprisingly (and quite pleasantly) spicy with that hint of chili powder, so I figured, why can't I add cocoa powder to chili? The cocoa mixed with the cinnamon and chili gives the steak a nice smokey, flavorful crust. While the cocoa melds with the meat and gives it a melt-in-your-mouth effect, the chili balances the exotic, unexpected tastes, resulting in a flavor explosion that begs for the company of some mango salsa. I love going out in NYC, but sometimes chez moi with some good friends, good food, and Miss Jones isn't so bad.
