Memorial Day Barbecuing

I admit it - I had meat for Memorial Day. I have been craving carne asada (among other things) and decided it was time to break out what should be my world-famous carne asada marinade. I also made guacamole, mango salsa, grilled corn, and roasted vegetables.

And no recipes.

For the carne asada I used olive oil, white vinegar, fresh-squeezed orange juice, brown sugar, cumin, oregano, coriander, and salt. I placed the meat in gallon-sized plastic bags along with the marinade, and then added orange slices, onion slices, crushed garlic cloves, and fresh cilantro.

For the guacamole - nothing fancy. Avocados, onions, serrano peppers, cilantro, lime juice, and salt. I've started adding coriander. To top it off I sprinkle with cotija cheese.

The mango salsa was a first. I used two large Roma tomatoes and three manila mangoes. Manila mangoes are the small yellow mangoes, and I think the texture and flavor is much better than the large red ones you see in most supermarkets.

I ended up with about equal parts tomaotoes and mangoes, then added some chopped onion, serrano pepper, cilantro, and plenty of fresh lime juice. Season with salt to taste. Man, was it good.

The roasted vegetables: red peppers, pasilla peppers, and onions cut into strips. Toss with salt and olive oil and stick it in a 500 degree oven until the vegetables are cooked to your liking. I like the edges to get a little brown.

And the corn - well, I kind of used a recipe. Bobby Flay's grilled corn recipe is really, really delicious. But I didn't feel like making the garlic butter. I grilled the cobs according to his directions, and then put out plain old butter with lime wedges and cotija cheese.

That was my Memorial Day!