It's a hot, Midwestern summer day. The mood is slow and easy, and the garden's in overdrive. So Rick decides to beat the heat and get out of the kitchen with a mostly made-ahead backyard cookout a la Mexicana, inspired by one of his world-favorite meat eateries: El Canelo, near Guadalajara. It's a sprawling outdoor restaurant with dirt floors and strolling Mariachis, where slabs of succulent pork, lamb, goat and beef roast slowly on spikes in a walk-in wood-fired pit. And it's wood, not charcoal, that gives the meat its unforgettable smoky flavor, so Rick gives us a quick lesson in setting up a home grill for wood-fired cooking. The menu is as casual as it is mouthwatering. For starters, there's an Heirloom Tomato "Carpaccio" with tomatillo, avocado and fresh herbs-a salad made with tomatoes grown in "Earth Boxes" (part of a groundbreaking educational program that teaches sustainable practices to kids all over the world) . And then, there's the cookout: sizzling Carne Asada Brava-rib eye steak marinated with serrano chiles and lime juice, seared over wood embers, sliced and served with homemade Salsa Huevona, fresh tortillas and beans. For dessert, Rick combines two of summertime's greatest treats-ice cream and corn-to make a Sweet Corn Ice Cream with berry salsa, inspired by some of his favorite ice cream shops in Mexico. And since this fiesta's all about simplicity, he shows how easy it is to set the mood with music, offering a playlist of some of his favorite Latin "finds." It's an irresistible take on summertime entertaining: shorts and T-shirts, robust flavors, and plenty of relaxed fun-for the guests and the host.
