Chris Valdes shares how grilled recipes are flavorful and heart heathy, interview
Summer and grilling go hand in hand. While the season’s fresh produce offers robust flavors, those ingredients should not be overshadowed by other tastes. Chef Chris Valdes shares some delicious, and easy, suggestions on how to make flavorful grilled recipes that are tasty and heart healthy.
Although there is a time and a place to splurge on an over the top meal, many people prefer to focus on balanced lifestyle choices. Eliminating certain food groups might not necessarily be the only choice. Instead incorporating better for you choices that support other ingredients’ flavors in a dish can be a smart choice.
During a recent conversation with Chef Chris Valdes, he shared his thoughts on some summer foods that fit within a balanced lifestyle. Since his recipes tend to focus on Latin flavors, he wants to debunk the concept that Latin food is unhealthy.
Chef Valdes said, “a lot of people think that food like Latin food has to be unhealthy. And I always say there's little tweaks you can make here and there. For example, instead of frying, you could bake, or in this case, we could grill. Also, you could also be a little bit more conscious of the ingredients that you're using. For example, I love using Mazola Corn Oil because it's cholesterol free and it's something that we could use without it affecting the flavor of our food.”
Switching the oil in a recipe can make a difference in many ways. From the flavor to the cooking techniques, cooks need to appreciate how that swap impacts the food and the final dish.
As Chef Valdes explained, “different oils have different smoke points. Most oils have a smoke point between 325 to 400° and one of the reasons why I love using Mazola Corn Oil is because it has a high smoke point of 450°. It has more of a neutral flavor and it's going to make sure that our dishes and our ingredients shine.”
With those cooking techniques in mind, Chef Valdes suggested a few recipes for summer grilling that anyone can master. Most importantly, he said, “I think it's important to just keep it fun, keep it fresh and keep it on the grill.”
During our conversation, Chef Valdes showcased cilantro and chimichurri pork chops and chicken Al Pastor Tacos topped with pineapple pico de gallo. As chef explained the pork chops, “we use this cilantro chimichurri to marinate and to finish the dish.”
Since a great chef hack can make a flavorful difference, Chef Valdes shared, “Two little tips that I have for everyone just to make sure that we get the most out of our grills, crank up that grill to 450° to accomplish those beautiful grill marks and charred pieces. Also, we will let our meat rest for about 10 minutes just to allow those juices to redistribute.”
In addition, Chef Valdes recommends the following, “definitely know your grill. If you have to read your instructions, look it up on YouTube. Nowadays there's a video for everything. Look it up and just be extra careful. Also, don't be in a hurry. Don't be rushing it. And, if it's your first time, again, make sure you're looking at some tutorial videos just to not burn any items.”
Even if there is a flare up or those grill marks are not perfect, it is not the end of the world. Chef Valdes believes, “food brings people together. I think that the grill is a great opportunity to bring your family together, pick up some of your favorite ingredients, crank up that grill and just enjoy the one thing that we all love in this world, which is food. Whatever it is you're making, as long as you have the grill and you have your family and friends, it's will be a great time.”
Whether it is the time around the grill, the laugher around the table, or the flavor enjoyment in every bite, summer celebrations are always delicious with some great grilled recipes. And, when they are made a little healthier with Mazola Corn Oil, it is a win all around.