Ask A South Florida Expert: Top Easy Tailgate Food

Tailgating is one serious pastime in South Florida and the best tailgates call for the best food. South Florida's Chef Michelle Gomez shares her top tailgate recipes that go way beyond typical tailgating fare. These delicious recipes feature unexpected ingredients such as watermelon and ground cardamom and they're also easy to recreate. The salad, skewers and steak marinade may all be prepared ahead of time at home for extra convenience.

Michelle Gomez
Coral Café Hilton Miami Airport
5101 Blue Lagoon Drive
Miami, FL 33126
(305) 262-1000
www.hiltonmiamiairport.com

Michelle Gomez - Private Chef
(305) 298-2506

Michelle Gomez is Chef De Cuisine at the Hilton Miami Airport. She is an experienced and passionate talent envisioning creative and delicious ways to tantalize the taste buds of restaurant guests and clients. Chef Gomez's skills are available for enjoyment in homes as well as she also works as a private chef providing clients with personalized menus and culinary experiences. These dishes take tailgating to a whole new level of style and all of the featured recipes have the added bonus of being healthy.

Spiced Cucumber and Watermelon Salad

• 4 cups diced seedless watermelon
• 1 European cucumber sliced on a bias without seeds
• 2 limes zested and juiced
• Maldon salt - to taste
• 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

Directions:

1. Combine lime juice, lime zest and cayenne pepper.
2. Toss with diced watermelon and sliced cucumber.
3. Serve.

Grilled Skirt Steak with Red Quinoa "Tabbouleh"

Red Quinoa "Tabbouleh"

• 3 cups cooked red quinoa
• 1 bunch chopped parsley
• 4 diced Roma tomatoes without seeds
• 3 lemons juiced and zested
• 1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• To taste kosher salt
• To taste fresh toasted and ground black peppercorns

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients.
2. Chill.
3. Serve.

Grilled Skirt Steak

• 3 lbs. Inside skirt steak
• 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 lime juiced and zested
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 cup peanut oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp. dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and pour marinade in zip lock bag with skirt steak.
2. Allow to marinate at least 2 hours.
3. Preheat grill.
4. Grill approximately 4 minutes on each side.
5. Allow to rest 10 minutes.
6. Slice across the grain and serve over red quinoa "tabbouleh"

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Grilled Fruit Kabobs with Cardamom Orange Blossom Glaze

• 3 Peaches
• 3 Plums
• 3 Mangos

Directions:

1. Soak skewers in water.
2. Cut fruit in half, remove pits and cut into 1 inch-thick-wedges.
3. Arrange on 10-inch skewers.
4. Heat and brush grill with oil.
5. Grill skewers approximately 3 minutes on each side.

Orange Blossom and Cardamom Glaze

• 1/3 cup orange blossom honey
• 1 tsp. ground cardamom

Directions:

1. Heat both ingredients together and drizzle over grilled kabobs.
2. Garnish with chiffonade of mint.
3. Serve.

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Chanoa Chen is a Fashion Merchandiser, Freelance Writer and Blogger. Chanoa has contributed stories to top firms including QVC Insider Germany and regularly contributes to CBS Local Miami and Examiner.com. She may be reached via: bokilovellc@gmail.com.