Top Chefs In Super Bowl Tailgate Cook Off

Few cities know how to throw a party like Miami.

So, The Early Show thought it was only fitting to ask two renowned Miami chefs who really created the amazing Miami food scene — Douglas Rodriguez and Norman Van Aken — to compete in a tailgating cook off!

Their cooking reflects Miami's diversity and penchant for fun. Van Aken is executive chef and owner of Miami's "Norman's" restaurant, and Rodriguez owns and is executive chef of "Ola" there.

The Early Show's own resident chef and multiple "Iron Chef" winner, Bobby Flay, moderated the competition, and revealed the secret ingredient both masters had to use — citrus fruits of all kinds.

Co-anchor Harry Smith gave Van Aken a hand, and co-anchor Julie Chen helped out Rodriguez.

In the end, Rodriguez was judged to have come out on top on this day.

For more on Van Aken, log on to Normans.com. For more on Rodriguez, head for OlaMiami.com. For more on both, check out MiamiAndBeaches.com.

VAN AKEN'S RECIPES:

Tailgate Special

Yield: 4 cups

1 Cup cooked and drained black beans (if you use canned beans, rinse them well)
1/3 Cup finely diced red bell pepper
1/4 Cup finely chopped scallions, white and light green parts only
1 Scotch bonnet, stemmed, seeded, and minced
3/4 Cup crumbled queso blanco
3/4 Cup diced mango
1/2 Cup orange sections, coarsely chopped
1/2 Tablespoon Spanish sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly toasted and ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice
1 Cup diced ripe avocado

In a large mixing bowl combine all the above ingredients, making sure to add the avocado last. Very gently fold the mixture together to avoid smashing the ingredients, which are delicate. Chill and prepare the dressing.

For the dressing:
1/2 Tablespoon minced shallot
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon coarsely chopped Italian parsley
1/2 teaspoon freshly toasted and ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly toasted and ground black pepper
Kosher salt to taste
2 Tablespoons Spanish sherry vinegar
1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil

In a small bowl combine the dressing ingredients and whisk them well. Chill. When ready to serve, gently fold the dressing into the salsa. Season to taste and serve.

Mojo Marinated & Grilled Shrimp And Sausage Skewers
Norman Van Aken, © Copyright, All Rights Reserved

24 Shrimp, peeled and de-veined
12 inch length of your favorite sausage, cooked and cut into ¾ inch rounds
Skewers, soaked
1 recipe sour orange Mojo

Marinade the shrimp in the mojo for at least 4 hours. Take them out of the marinade and skewer them with the cooked sausage. Grill them until the shrimp is cooked.

Sour Orange Mojo

Yields: 1 1/4 Cups

6 cloves raw, peeled and minced garlic
1 Scotch bonnet, stem and seeds discarded, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons, whole and freshly toasted cumin seeds
1 Cup pure olive oil
1/3 Cup sour orange juice
2 teaspoons Spanish sherry vinegar
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Mash the raw garlic, chilies, salt and cumin together in a mortar with the pestle until fairly smooth. Scrape this into a bowl and set aside a moment.

Now heat the olive oil until fairly hot and pour it over the garlic-chilies mix and allow to stand 10 minutes. Now whisk in the sour orange juice and the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside until cooled.

Peruvian Purple Potato Salad In a Champagne Vinaigrette
Norman Van Aken © All Rights Reserved

Yield: About 7 Cups

12 Peruvian purple potatoes, about 3 pounds
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced small
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced small
1 red onion, diced small
1/4 Cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves
1/3 Cup champagne vinegar
2/3 Cup virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer over high heat and cook at a low boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, until just barely cooked through. Drain the potatoes and shock in ice water for 20 seconds.

When cool, drain again and rub the skins off (you can leave them on, if you prefer). Cut the potatoes into 3/4-inch dice and place in a large bowl. Add the bell peppers, onion, and cilantro.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the vinegar and olive oil. Pour the dressing over the potato salad, season with salt and pepper, and gently mix together. Allow the potatoes to cool thoroughly before serving.

For Rodriguez's recipes, go to Page 2.RODRIGUEZ'S RECIPES:

Ceviche

2 Ounces Queen Conch
2 Ounces 16/20 Shrimp, peeled and cleaned
2 Ounces Medium Calamari Tubes
Kosher Salt to Taste
Fresh Pepper to Taste
1 Ounce Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Citrus -Amount Depending Upon Which Citrus is Used
1 Leaf Culantro
2 Pinches Chives
2 Pinches Thai Basil
1 Ounce Sun Dried Tomato Paste
1 Ounce Lemon Oil
1/4 Red Onion
1/4 Red Jalapeno
2 Each Black Alfonse Olive
1/4 of a Cooked Sweet Potato
1 Skewer of Mote Entero

Method: Prepare a medium hot grill. Season the conch, shrimp, and calamari with salt and pepper, toss in the olive oil, and grill lightly, cooking about 50 percent of the way through and making grill marks on each side. Pierce a row of corn on the mote entero with a metal skewer and cut the row off the cob. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil and grill lightly on the grill. Dice the conch, slice the shrimp in half lengthwise, and slice the calamari. Place the seafood in a mixing bowl, season with salt and allow the salt to dissolve before squeezing the citrus over the seafood. Allow the seafood to marinate slightly in the citrus juice, and stir in the sun dried tomato paste. Shave the red onion on the mandolin, and chop the olives, jalapeno, culantro, chives, and basil, and toss together with the ceviche. Peel and slice the sweet potato and place on an ice cold plate. Top the sweet potato with the ceviche and garnish with mote entero anticucho and a squeeze of lemon oil.

Caiparinha

Cachasa
Quick Dissolving Sugar
Ice
Citrus

Method: Place the ice in a towel and wrap the ice in the towel firmly. Whack it a few times with the muddle stick to crack the ice into pieces. Cut the citrus in quarters and place in the bottom of a tumbler. Sprinkle the citrus with the sugar and muddle the citrus until it is well mashed and the juices have dissolved the sugar. Place the cracked ice in the glass and pour in the cachasa. Place the shaker over the tumbler and shake vigorously until half the ice is dissolved. Remove the shaker and pour the drink into an old fashioned glass.