Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook: Explosive Flavors from the Southwestern Kitchen by Bobby Flay

by Bobby Flay

Smoky, earthy, fruity, and spicy, the flavors of the Southwest have intrigued Bobby Flay ever since he was a young chef, eventually serving as the inspiration for the menu at his first restaurant, Mesa Grill. Now sixteen years later, Bobby’s bold and vivacious take on this cuisine has made him a fixture on America’s culinary scene and turned Mesa Grill into a veritable institution. In Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook, the celebrity chef invites you to join him in the kitchen of his famous restaurant to learn the secrets of his of his signature contemporary Southwestern cuisine. Here are 150 recipes for the drinks, appetizers, soups, salads, main dishes, sides, sauces, desserts, and brunch dishes that have earned Bobby his reputation for creating innovative combinations and big, rich flavors, - Grilled Asparagus and Goat Cheese Quesadillas with Tomato Jam and Cilantro Yogurt- Queso Fundido with Roasted Poblano Vinaigrette- Sweet Potato and Roasted Plantain Soup with Smoked Chile Crema- Grilled Shrimp Brushed with Smoked Chile Butter and Tomatillo Salsa - Seared Tuna Tostado with Black Bean Mango Salsa- Coffee-Rubbed Filets Mignons with Ancho-Mushroom Sauce- Spicy Coconut Tapioca with Mango and BlackberriesComplete with a guide no tequila lover should be without, a list of must-haves for the Southwestern pantry, menu suggestions for festive occasions with friends and family, Bobby's pointers on basic cooking techniques, and 100 full-color photographs, Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Cookbook helps you re-create the fun and flavors of Mesa Grill in your own kitchen.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Reference, Culinary

Hardcover

First published October 16, 2007

About the author

Robert William Flay is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, and television personality. He is the owner and executive chef of five restaurants: Mesa Grill and Bar Americain in New York City; Mesa Grill in Las Vegas; Mesa Grill in Bahamas (Atlantis Paradise Island, Nassau); and Bobby Flay Steak in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Flay has hosted seven Food Network television programs and appeared regularly on an eighth. He has also appeared as a guest on other Food Network shows and hosted a number of specials on the network.

Reviews

[Sharon Janzen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about this cookbook, and I have to admit I have not made any of the recipes from it yet, but I have read so many recipes and cooked and baked for so many years, I can, with a great deal of certainty, predict how a recipe is likely to turn out by reading it.
I think quite a few of these recipes are probably quite tasty! I mean, if they weren't, the restaurants wouldn't be a hit, right? But, like many restaurant-inspired cookbooks, this one includes a whole lot of dishes that are far more complicated than they need to be, with ingredients that are probably not in your pantry or fridge.

Photos -- I love, LOVE a cookbook with great photos. You almost don't have to give me a good recipe if your photos are delicious. The ones in this book are nice, if kind of sparse, but it irks me that they are not labeled and it's not obvious which recipe is pictured.

It's more of an inspirational deal for me. I will probably make a couple of the salsas, and consider some of the more complicated recipes as a guideline or starting point.

Overall, I'm glad I got this at the library and didn't spend money on it.

[Don Gillette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well-written, entertaining cookbook chock full of Bobby Flay's signature fare and for those who enjoy every single thing on their plate to have that Southwestern taste to it, you'll be overjoyed. To me, it gets very old very quickly, but I'm not judging the recipes, I'm reviewing the book.
As far as cookbooks go, you won't find another one as well put together. This guy and Mario Batali know how to write a cookbook.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

After eating at Mesa Grill, I had to bring this home!!

[Wendy Church · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Chef Flay’s flavor profiles, which include a lot of hot and sweet (e.g., mangoes and habaneros). Three stars rounded down from 3.5, because the recipes I tried didn’t appear to have been tested, as the proportions on some were way off (confirmed by further research on those recipes). It’s also a bit one-note, which is fine if that’s what you’re looking for.

[Leonard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not aware of this chef and his cookbooks until recently. I superficially reviewed these two and was surprised at the large number of interesting recipes they contained. And the books themselved are spectacular with large color photographs, especially nice if you are hungry.

[Eva Jonas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book if you want be master chef.

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The flavors look really interesting. Haven't had a chance to cook from it yet.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great recipes all with a southwestern flair.

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carrying the distinct flavors of high cuisine in the southwest, this cookbook does impress. It has many recipes I hope to try out and if nothing else, inspires my creativity. Worth reading.

[Jeanette Durkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic recipes and lots of pictures! I'll definitely be trying some of them!

[Julie Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

The recipes have a lot of ingredient that can sometimes be hard to find but once you do, the recipes are well worth it. Some of the best recipes I’ve made!!

[Peggy Bodner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had gotten this out of the library, and then realized I had bookmarked too many recipes, so I used a book store gift card and bought it. Can't wait to make some of these recipes!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some of the ingredients are difficult to find, but still one of my favorites.

[Evan Broder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the food at Mesa Grill - I go almost every time I'm in Las Vegas, and have never been disappointed. So I was thrilled to get my hands on the cookbook, and haven't been disappointed in that either.

I've run into two problems with this cookbook. First, the recipes tend to call for some obscure ingredients - especially chiles. It's not uncommon for a recipe to call for 2 or 3 different types of fresh or dried chiles. Some are easy to come by, and some are not. We learned to make substitutions pretty quickly. Second, we've had a hard time getting sauces to thicken as written. I think a lot of his recipes were written assuming very gelatin-heavy stocks and broths, and store-bought stocks just can't deliver. Adding a bit of slurry tends to solve that problem (and I'm sure making your own stock would help, too).

Overall, though, the flavors of the dishes have been great, and the techniques have been very accessible. I'd strongly recommend this to anyone who likes Mesa Grill's style of food, or southwestern food in general.

[Catherine Woodman]

My real beef with Bobby Flay is that the recipes NEVER taste as good as they look00there is a real problem with the seasoning (to my palate at least) and so while the flavor combinations he comes up seem interesting and innovative, somehow they do not pop the way they seem like they would, and so while he has fabulous flair as a chef, I wouldn't get another one of his cookbooks. I have never been tot he Mesa Grill, so can't comment on that--maybe this accurately reflects the food of the restaurant.

[Vanessacylabq.com · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this cook book. Being from the southwest I enjoy a new twist on classics like tamales. The recipes are slightly involved like the 16 spice chicken and even living in New Mexico found some of the ingredients hard to come by. I still think the recipes are easy enough to follow and are creative for those in the mood for something different. They are on the spicy side so feel free to buy mild or medium spice level. I can see some people having to order ingredients online depending on location but still a fun cook book to try.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommended in you like this cuisine. I've made three recipes so far -- Red Chile-Mustard Vinaigrette (Yummy, easy); Shrimp and Roasted Garlic Tamales (involved, good, but not nearly as good as what I had at the restaurant); Ranch-style Eggs With Chorizo and Tomato-Red Chile Sauce (easy, better than Huevos Rancheros,and a reason to buy creme fraiche).

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 19 year old son has made so many delicious meals and dishes from this beautiful and excellent cookbook. For those who love each dish to be spicy and distinct try this book. For those who want their children to make a successful and fun dinner for the family trust me it is a great starter cookbook for your teenager.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

While all the dishes sound delicious (particularly the ones with sweet potato and plantain), I forgot how into sauces Bobby Flay could be. They make the recipes more complicated, and there are a lot of little pieces for each dish. Definitely a cookbook to be used on the weekend.

[Crissy Claiborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

From cover to cover I love it! Filled with great recipes that offer the unique ingredients of Flay's dishes in your own kitchen.

[Jeremiah]

I've checked this copy out from our local library, so we'll see how it is.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful cookbook! Right now I am collecting more for the autographs than actually cooking from them! :) Have autographed book and autographed picture.

[Shatanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Chef, Favorite Restaurant. I can't say much more then that. Ok, Beautiful photos.

[Anquan Le · Rating 5 out of 5]

The recipes I learned from this book were exquisite.

[Caren · Rating 5 out of 5]

His best cookbook.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Right now I am looking through the recipes to see which ones I will fix. I will let you know more later on.

[Laura Chang · Rating 4 out of 5]

The red chile-honey glazed salmon with black bean sauce and jalapeno crema -- I would eat this everyday if only my husband would make it that often.

[Bryce D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personally don't care for the man but he can cook. I really like the southwest style of cooking this book has to offer. This is a great book.

[Michelle Fitzgerald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bobby Flay is my hero. This book is amazing and the dishes are magic in my mouth!

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yummy foods to make at home..