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

BOBBY FLAY opened his first restaurant, Mesa Grill, in 1991 and quickly developed a following for his innovative southwestern cuisine. The restaurant continues to get high marks in the Zagat Survey for its regional American cuisine and has spawned two offshoots, Mesa Grill in Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas and Mesa Grill Bahamas. He opened Bolo in 1993, Bar Americain in 2005, and Bobby Flay Steak in 2006.

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, including:

– 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 Blackberries

Complete 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.

Publishers Weekly

Flay is everywhere: overseeing six restaurants, appearing on four TV shows plus his own Web site and now assembling his seventh cookbook in 13 years. Flay preps the reader for culinary adventure with a tequila guide followed by four different margarita recipes, and then sets off on a whirlwind tour of flavorful dishes inspired by the American Southwest. Flay's trademark is flavoring a perfectly grilled or roasted hunk of protein with smoke or chili or fruit, exemplified by Pan-Roasted Venison with Tangerine-Roasted Jalapeño Sauce and the slightly tamer Coffee-Rubbed Filets Mignons with Ancho-Mushroom Sauce. Shrimp, snapper and tuna dominate the seafood section, though there is also the quintessentially Flayvian Grilled Swordfish with Pineapple-Mustard Glaze and Cilantro-Mint Chimichurri. A chapter on brunches turns up the heat with dishes like Egg and Aged Sirloin Tortillas with Three-Pepper Relish. Coming full circle by drawing upon recipes from Mesa Grill, his first eatery, Flay also slyly opens the door for a series of cookbooks based on his other properties. 100 color photos not seen by PW. (Oct.)