Scott Linquist Of 'Border Grill' Shares Valentine's Recipes

STUDIO CITY (KCAL9) — Scott Linquist, executive chef of Border Grill, visited KCAL9 Thursday to talk about the restaurant's four-course Valentine's Day dinner.

The four-course prix fixe menu is $65, but a la carte dishes will be available in the bar all night.

He also shared recipes for Tacos de Langosta, Churro Tots and Rasberry Chipotle Margaritas:

Tacos de Langosta (Grilled Lobster Tacos)

Makes 12 Tacos

12 4-inch corn or flour tortillas, warmed

18 ounces Chipotle Grilled Lobster (see recipe below)

1 quart Mango Jicama Slaw (see recipe below)

1 cup Aji Amarillo Aioli (see recipe below)

1 large California avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and cut into 12 slices

3 red radishes, cut into thin matchsticks

Place 1 1/2 ounces of Chipotle Grilled Lobster onto each warm tortilla.  Top with 2 tablespoons Mango Jicama Slaw, 1 tablespoon Aji Amarillo Aioli, an avocado slice, and a sprinkle of radishes.  Serve immediately.

Chipotle Grilled Lobster

3 1-pound Maine lobster*

2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

2 tablespoons chopped chipotle in adobo (canned chipotle)

Bring a 6-quart stock pot filled with 5 quarts of water to a boil and add Old Bay Seasoning, bay leaf, and kosher salt.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add lobster.  Poach for 6 minutes, and then transfer to a large bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking.  When chilled, crack lobster tails, claws and knuckles and remove the meat.

In a blender, combine orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, and chipotle. Puree until smooth.  Pour chipotle citrus mixture over cooked lobster, toss, and marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Preheat grill.  Remove lobster from marinade and grill until lightly browned and warmed through. Remove from grill and roughly chop.  Serve immediately.

Mango Jicama Slaw

1 cup julienned hothouse cucumber

1 cup julienned jicama

1 cup finely shaved white cabbage

1 cup julienned mango

1/4 cup very thinly sliced red onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 to 2 serrano chiles, stemmed and sliced into very thin rounds

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/4 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine cucumber, jicama, cabbage, mango, onion, serrano chiles, cilantro, citrus juices, and olive oil in a mixing bowl.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss thoroughly.  Taste and adjust as necessary.  Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes prior to serving.

Aji Amarillo Aioli

1/4 cup aji amarillo puree**

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

1 head garlic, roasted and peeled

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Combine aji amarillo puree, lime juice, Dijon mustard, honey, garlic, and mayonnaise in a blender and puree until smooth.

* As an alternative, purchase 18 ounces of precooked lobster meat at your local seafood counter.

** Aji Amarillo is a delicious, yellow chile from Peru that has a wonderful fruity, floral flavor and aroma.  Jarred aji amarillo chile puree is available online and in gourmet shops.  Feeling adventurous? Fresh aji amarillo chiles are available for the first time in Southern California from Weiser Farms at the Wednesday Santa Monica Farmers Market.  To make your own chile puree, place fresh chiles over an open flame on a grill or under a broiler, and cook until the skin begins to blister.  Let cool, remove stems, and puree in a blender until smooth.

Churro Tots

1 1/4 cups water

6 1/2 ounces unsalted butter

2 1/4 ounces (5 tablespoons) brown sugar

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

5 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups store-bought or homemade Dulce de Leche (see recipe) or cajeta

Vegetable oil, for frying

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Whipped cream (see recipe), for serving

Place water, butter, brown sugar, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add flour all at once and stir vigorously until mixture forms a ball and smells like toasted flour.  Transfer to the bowl of a mixer and paddle dough while adding eggs one at a time allowing machine to incorporate each egg before the next addition.  Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl often and add vanilla.  Lastly, add Dulce de Leche and mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Transfer mixture to a container and refrigerate until ready to fry.

Heat vegetable oil for frying in a pot.  Place churro batter in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tube.  When oil is 375 degrees F drop 2-inch long churros from the pastry bag into the oil and fry about 4 minutes or until well browned and floating.  Centers will still be a tiny bit gooey because of the Dulce de Leche in the batter.  Remove churros to a paper lined plate.  Combine sugar and cinnamon and toss with hot churros.

To serve, place churro tots on a small plate or in a shallow bowl accompanied by a dollop of whipped cream for dipping.

Dulce de Leche

3 1/2 cups whole milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Combine ingredients in a large, heavy saucepan.  Place over medium heat and cook stirring often for 45 minutes to an hour or until mixture becomes a caramel color and is thick enough that you can see the bottom of the pan as you stir.  By volume it should be reduced to about 1 cup.  Cool to room temperature and use immediately or store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Whipped Cream

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Combine cream and sugar in a cold mixing bowl and whip until stiff peaks form.

Copyright © 2013, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, www.bordergrill.com

Raspberry Chipotle Margarita

1 splash mezcal, for rinsing glass

Ice, for cocktail shaker and glass

1 1/4 ounces tequila blanco

1/2 ounce Raspberry Chipotle Shrub (see recipe below)

2 1/4 ounces Lime Agave Mix (see recipe below)

1 wedge lime, for garnish

Pour mezcal into a tall glass, swirl around sides of glass several times, and discard.  Fill glass with ice and set aside.

Add tequila, Raspberry Chipotle Shrub, and Lime Agave Mix to cocktail shaker filled with ice.  Shake thoroughly and strain into the mezcal-rinsed glass filled with ice.  Serve immediately garnished with a lime wedge.

Raspberry Chipotle Shrub

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 dried chipotle chile

1 1/2 cups sugar

Combine vinegar, raspberries, chipotle, and sugar in a pot and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring as needed.   Remove from heat, cool, and strain into a container for storage in refrigerator until ready to use.

Lime Agave Mix

1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 cup cold water

1/2 cup agave syrup

Combine lime, water, and agave and refrigerate until ready to use.

Copyright © 2013, Mary Sue Milliken & Susan Feniger, www.bordergrill.com