Arizona Restaurant Week Recipe: Carne Asada on Potato Pancake

Today we have a delicious recipe from yet another Arizona Restaurant Week participant, Phoenix’s The Vig. The Arcadia dining destination is even planning a sibling location Phoenix location early next year.
Carne Asada on Potato Pancake With Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Crema, Cotija Cheese and Tomato-Garlic Sauce
Serves 10 People
2 lbs. Carne Asada (recipe to follow)
10 each Potato Pancakes (recipe to follow)
1 lb. Guacamole (recipe to follow)
10 oz. Pico de Gallo (recipe to follow)
2 ½ cups Sour Cream
½ cup Heavy Cream
4 cups Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (recipe to follow)
10 oz. Queso Cotija (crumbled)
10 sprigs Cilantro
Mix the sour cream and heavy cream together in a bowl until smooth. Grill carne asada until browned nicely, turn over and repeat. Place carne asada into 400° F oven until cooked to desired temperature (for rare about 7 minutes, well done will take about 20 minutes). Let carne asadarest for a few minutes before cutting thin slices. Cook potato pancake in pan or on a griddle until golden brown on each side. Spoon red pepper sauce onto plate and top with a hot potato pancake. Arrange carne asada slices in a layered circle pattern around the top of the potato pancake. Spoon a dollop of guacamole in the center of the carne asada. Sprinkle pico de gallo on top of the carne asada and around the plate. Sprinkle queso cotija on top of the carne asada and around the plate. Drizzle the sour cream/ heavy cream mixture (crema) in a zig-zag pattern over the dish.
Carne Asada
3 lbs. Flank Steak (trimmed of all fat)
1 oz. Garlic Cloves (peeled)
1 each Jalapeno (stem removed)
½ bunch Cilantro
3 tsp. Salt
2 each Oranges (juice of)
4 each Limes (juice of)
¼ cup Sherry Vinegar
4 each Chipotle Chilies (canned in adobo sauce)
1 tbs. Cumin (ground)
1 tbs. Oregano
¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce
¾ cup Olive Oil
Place all ingredients except the flank steak into a food processor and puree. Place flank steak in a shallow pan and cover with marinade. Let marinate for at least 3 hours but not more than 6 hours as the meat will become too stringy.
Potato Pancakes
6 each Baking Potatoes (washed)
1 small Yellow Onion (peeled)
3 large Eggs (beaten slightly)
½ cup Flour
½ tsp. Baking Powder
To taste Salt
To taste Ground Black Pepper
Grate potatoes into a colander placed in the sink and let sit for 15 minutes (they will turn a reddish-brown). Grate the onion into a bowl. Rinse the potatoes under cold water until all color is gone, squeeze out excess liquid with hands. Place potatoes in bowl with grated onion and stir in remaining ingredients until incorporated. Spoon potato mixture onto a greased griddle or saute pan and flatten to desired diameter and thickness. Cook until golden brown on one side, turn over and repeat.
Guacamole
6 each Avocados (peeled and de-seeded)
½ each Red Onion (peeled, minced fine)
2 each Jalapenos (stem and seeds removed, minced fine)
1 bunch Cilantro (chopped)
2 each Limes (juice of)
1 each Lemon (juice of)
2 each Tomatoes (seeds and pulp removed, diced small)
1 tsp. Chili Powder
To taste Salt
To taste Ground Black Pepper
Mash avocado with potato masher or a fork. Mix in remaining ingredients.
Pico de Gallo
4 medium Tomatoes (seeds and pulp removed, diced small)
½ each Red Onion (peeled, minced fine)
1 each Jalapeno (stem and seeds removed, minced fine)
1 tbs. Garlic (peeled, minced fine)
2 each Limes (juice of)
½ bunch Cilantro (chopped)
To taste Salt
To taste Ground Black Pepper
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Tomato-Garlic Sauce
10 medium-ripe Tomatoes (cut in quarters)
½ small Onion (peeled, chopped medium)
5 cloves Garlic
¼ cup Olive Oil
1 cup Tomato Juice
To taste Salt
To taste Ground Black Pepper
Place tomatoes, onion, garlic and olive oil in a small roasting pan, season with salt and pepper and toss so that all ingredients are coated in the oil. Bake in a 350° oven until softened and golden brown, about 20 to 30 minutes. Puree in a blender with tomato juice and more salt and pepper if needed, until smooth. Do not strain.