Grilled Tomahawk Steak with Sweet Potato Gratin, Carrots & Chile Gastrique

Jose Montalvo — aka Chef Ziggy—knows a thing or two about wood-fire grilling. At El Nido, the beloved Tesuque restaurant, cooking on the custom wood-fire grill and in the Italian brick oven form the backbone of the menu. Their tomahawk steak is a customer favorite and at 40 oz. is a hearty meal for two. Montalvo created this recipe for the Santa Fe Wine & Chile Festival, and for a wine pairing, sommelier Joseph Spellman recommends Lewis Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2021.

About Tomahawk Steak

What makes tomahawk steak special is that it is at least five inches of rib bone is left intact. The bone is “French trimmed,” a culinary technique also used to give a rack of lamb its unique shape. The shape is where it gets its name from, because it resembles an axe or tomahawk. These stages are huge in size and make for a decadent meal that serves a whole group of people.

Grilled Bone-In Tomahawk Steak with Sweet Potato Gratin, Heirloom Baby Carrots, and Green & Red Chile Gastrique Recipe

Grilled Bone-In Tomahawk Steak with Sweet Potato Gratin Ingredients

• 40 oz bone-in Tomahawk steak
• Sweet Potato Gratin (see below)
• Heirloom baby carrots (see below)
• Green chile gastrique (see below)
• Red chile gastrique (see below)

Instructions 

1. Pat steak dry. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Next, over a medium to high heat grill steak for about 7-10 minutes on each side, until desired doneness.
3. Let steak rest for at least 15 minutes. Slice and serve family style alongside other dishes.

Sweet Potato Gratin Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 16 oz heavy cream
• 8 oz parmesan cheese, grated
• 4 oz unsalted butter, melted

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch slices.
3. Next, in a bowl, combine the heavy cream, Parmesan, and melted butter.
4. In a deep baking dish layer the sweet potato, heavy cream mixture, salt and pepper.
5. Wrap in foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
6. Then, raise oven to 400 degrees and cook uncovered until crisps.
7. Remove from oven and let cool.
8. Cut into 4 servings and serve.

Heirloom Baby Carrots Recipe

Ingredients

• 16 oz Heirloom baby carrots
• 2 oz unsalted butter

Instructions

1. Peel and wash baby carrots.
2. Blanche the carrots and set aside.
3. Right before serving, place in a skillet and add the butter.
4. Sauté carrots and add salt and pepper to taste.

Green Chile Gastrique Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 8 oz chopped green chile
• Pinch of dried oregano
• 16 oz vegetable stock
• 2 oz granulated sugar
• 11/2 oz white wine vinegar

Instructions 

1. In a saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic.
2. Once translucent, add green chile and oregano.
3. Afterward, cook for about 5 minutes and add stock.
4. Bring to a boil and add the sugar and white wine vinegar. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and cool.
6. Blend and then pour through a fine strainer.

Red Chile Gastrique Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, chopped
• 12 dried guajillo chiles
• Pinch of dried oregano
• 16 oz vegetable stock
• 2 oz granulated sugar
• 11/2 oz red wine vinegar

Instructions 

1. First, in a saucepan sauté the onion and garlic.
2. Once translucent add 12 dried guajillo chiles, the oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Cook for about 5 minutes and add stock.
4. Once boiling, then add the sugar and the red wine vinegar. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
6. Finally, blend and then pour through a fine strainer.

Story and Styling by Julia Platt Leonard / Photography by Daniel Quat / Dinnerware Courtesy of Wild Life Santa Fe

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