The Food of Scottsdale

The number of restaurants in the Scottsdale area is almost overwhelming. Since it is a resort area there are options to suit any food craving or dining style from formal to casual. When visiting Arizona, having some authentic Mexican food, or even just some southwestern food, is a must. There are also plenty of outdoor patio options, but during the summer heat, most people stayed indoors. There are also several brewery options that offer good pub food with a variety of local beers that were perfect on a hot afternoon, although not as many options as we have in Colorado.

Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Chili Relleno
Picante Macaroni and Cheese with Sausage
Mussels in White Wine Sauce

We should have known that this trip was going to be full of good food when we arrived at our resort on Saturday night to find out that the restaurant was offering a prime rib special. Two prime rib dinners, starter salads, and a bottle of wine for $40 and the prime rib was cooked to perfection. We almost always share a single dinner, so it was way too much food for the two of us, but it was too good of a deal to pass on.

Prime Rib Dinner with Corn and Potatoes
Sautéed Green Beans
Chili Pork Verde

We definitely took advantage of the many Mexican restaurants that are in the area. From a traditional pork carnitas burrito served enchilada style with fresh ingredients to a half of chicken with oregano, lime, and aji rocoto that was spicy, but delicious. We also had a wonderful pork and green chili queso and crab and shrimp stuffed chili rellenos. We love good Mexican food and we certainly were not disappointed with what we had in Scottsdale.

Carnitas Burrito Served Enchilada Style
Roasted Chicken
Guacamole Variation

Obviously, we had more than just Mexican food over the seven days that we spent in Scottsdale. One of the things that we found interesting was that almost every menu had some variation of macaroni and cheese on it, some with meat, some without, so we had to try one of each during the week. Another interesting treat were the pork wings appetizer that were bone-in pork shanks with a spicy barbeque sauce. We also had some salmon cakes and an interesting devilish egg dip as appetizers and really unique burger.

Devilish Egg Dip
Burger
Pork Wings

We definitely enjoyed the food that we ate while we were in Scottsdale. Clearly, with all of the restaurant choices available, you can spend quite a while in Scottsdale and never eat at the same place twice, but some of them are so good that you just have to go back again and again. Perhaps we will revisit Scottsdale in the fall at some point so that we can eat our way through more of the many choices.

Local Beers on Tap
Spicy Macaroni and Cheese
Salmon Cakes
Cold Local Beer

Steak Braciole

When most people think of Italian food, they generally think of pasta, red sauces, and pizza, but there is much more to the rich gastronomical heritage of Italy. We enjoyed a wonderful variety of food during our time in Italy, so we thought that we would attempt to create a different style of Italian food for ourselves. Braciole is a thin steak that is stuffed with bread crumbs, vegetables, cheese, and then rolled to create a pinwheel of flavor. We adapted our recipe from one that we saw Chef Jeff Mauro cook on an episode of a television show. It has so much flavor and made for a wonderful dinner for the two of us.

Steak Rolled and Tied

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb Thinly Cut or Butterflied Top Round or Strip Steak (We used top round steak)
  • 1/2 cup Bread Crumbs
  • 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
  • 2 cloves Garlic – minced
  • 4 to 6 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese – sliced
  • 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 16 Asparagus Stalks – cut to width
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
Rolling the Steak
Just Before Rolling

INSTRUCTIONS

Blanch the asparagus by boiling or steaming them for about two to three minutes and then shocking them in an ice bath. If necessary, butterfly the steak and then pound out until about an eighth of inch thin. Season the steak with salt and pepper on both sides. Combine the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, garlic, and olive oil in a small bowl. Place the mozzarella cheese onto the steak, leaving about an inch perimeter all of the way around. Cover with the bread crumb mixture and then place the asparagus on the steak leaving about a half inch in between each stalk. Roll the steak as tightly as possible and then tie it with butcher twine. Sear the steak on all four sides for about three minutes per side in a skillet with olive oil at medium-high heat. Place the steak in a 250 degree oven for about forty minutes or until the desired temperature. Remove the butcher twine and cut the steak into about one inch pinwheels. If desired, serve with a sauce such as your favorite tomato sauce, but it can be served as is.

Blanching the Asparagus
Shock the Asparagus
Steak with Cheese and Bread Crumb Mixture
Sear the Steak
Steak Braciole