Bobby Flay's Throwdown! (6 page)

Name: Eric Dominijanni
Hometown: Queens, New York
Occupation: United States Marine

I faced off in a desert duel against U.S. Marine Captain and steak-making champion Eric Dominijanni, a.k.a. “Captain D.” Set on his turf at the Twentynine Palms Marine Base in California’s Mojave Desert, it was a sizzling combination of sun, sand, and steak—the perfect recipe for a Throwdown.

Captain D, who also answers to “Disco, ” knows what it is like to improvise a meal and has done so all over the world, from Japan to Iraq. Captain D leads a company of 250 marines and every chance he gets, he likes to treat his marines to a homemade meal. Born and raised in Forest Hills, Queens, this captain is also one serious competitor…
ooh-rah!
His Captain D’s Disco Hot and Tangy Steak—chuck marinated in cola, orange peel, ginger, teriyaki sauce, and habanero chiles, then grilled to perfection—won him a regional title.

This tough marine thought it was his skill on the grill that had landed him front and center in a national competition in New York City as well as his own profile on a Food Network special. He’d get competition and airtime all right—just not the way he had planned.

In the test kitchen, I decide on filet mignon with a cooked ancho chile-tomato salsa, with crispy garlic chips and torched goat cheese. I was happily plotting my approach in the air-conditioned comfort of the Food Network kitchen, but little did I know that I would have to come up with a whole other plan of attack when I arrived at the Marine Base, where the temperature was 120°F in the shade. Ouch.

Throwdown day brought us to the Mojave Desert, where we found Captain D preparing to break ranks and putting on a barbecue for his well-deserving men. Before he could serve up his honored hot and tangy steak to the troops, he got a surprise visit from this civilian. The heat proved to be a problem in more ways than one for this freckle-faced Irish boy. My original plan to do a cooked salsa with melted goat cheese disappeared like a desert mirage. I knew I had to change my strategy. Luckily, I never travel without backup. I whipped up a new, uncooked glaze from molasses, mustard, red chiles, and horseadish. (I had to nix the goat cheese altogether because it had actually melted in the coolers!) While I was at it, I also swapped the filet mignon for my favorite cut, the rib eye.

Captain D’s hungry men had been eyeing our steaks all afternoon and now it was time for them to eat. We had battled the desert heat and both of our steaks had passed the Marine Corps taste test. But whose steak is good enough to win the Throwdown? Our judge, Jamie Purviance, had just traveled all the way from San Francisco and he was ready to eat. The author of Weber grilling cookbooks judges steak competitions all over the country. Jamie tucked into our steaks and judged them on their tenderness and depth of flavor. He awarded us both high marks in each category, but by a slim margin, chose Captain D’s steak.

I can’t even put into words what this Throw down meant to me. Getting to feed the brave, amazing men and women of the United States Marine Corps and to compete against Captain D—a talented cook and heroic man who has dedicated his life to keeping you, me, and this entire country safe—was one of the biggest honors of my life.

SERVES 4

1.
Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 30 minutes before grilling.

2.
Whisk the molasses, mustard, horseradish, and ancho powder together in a small bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Let the glaze sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before using, to allow the flavors to meld.

3.
Heat your grill to high, or heat a cast-iron grill pan over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Brush both sides of the steaks lightly with canola oil and season them liberally with salt and pepper. Place the steaks on the grill or grill pan, and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes.

4.
Turn the steaks over, brush the tops liberally with some of the glaze, reduce the heat to medium, and continue grilling until the bottom is golden brown and slightly charred and the center is medium-rare, 6 to 7 minutes.

5.
Remove the steaks to a cutting board, brush with more of the glaze, and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

SERVES 4

1.
Mix all the ingredients except the strip steaks in a medium bowl.

2.
Place the steaks in a large resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press out the air, seal the bag, and turn several times to coat the meat. Set the bag in a bowl and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

3.
Let the steaks (still in the bag) stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.

4.
Remove the steaks from the bag and set them aside. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 seconds. Pour half of the marinade into a small bowl to use for basting the steaks. Reduce the heat under the saucepan and simmer the remaining marinade, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced to the consistency of a dipping sauce, 5 to 10 minutes.

5.
Preheat your grill to high.

6.
Pat the steaks dry with paper towels. Lightly coat the steaks with the oil. Grill the steaks over direct high heat, turning them once and basting frequently with the marinade, for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare (or to your desired doneness). Remove from the grill and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve warm, with the dipping sauce on the side.