Football Food: From Sammy Hagar's world of ‘Fun,' a recipe for Asada

Truth be told, I didn't give the Sammy Hagar cookbook, "Are We Having Any Fun Yet?" (William Morrow), more than a passing thought when I first saw it. Nothing on the cover made me hungry because it is a photo of him, not anything delicious.

Then I heard him interviewed on a radio show and I knew I had to give it a real look.

The rock star, once part of the band Van Halen, is crazy into cooking. He's also quite the entrepreneur.

He's the man behind Cabo Wabo tequila. Really. He also owns restaurants, including Cabo Wabo Cantina and Sammy's Island Bar & Grill, and launched Sammy's Beach Bar Rum.

This is an eat-and-tell book with lots of stories from the world of food and the world of Sammy. He includes among his friends the Dalai Lama, with whom he spent a week in Hawaii at a mutual friend's house. The host ordered special food for him from Asia, but he wanted pizza.

Who knew?

Here's a nice idea for today's football-watching menu from Hagar.

Sammy's Asada

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 large handful of fresh oregano

3 limes, juiced

1 orange, juiced

½ cup olive oil

2 pounds flank or skirt steak

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tortillas, rice, beans, and guacamole, for serving

Put the pepper, garlic, oregano, lime and orange juices, and olive oil in a large nonreactive mixing bowl and whisk until the marinade emulsifies.

Pour the marinade into a large zip-lock bag and add the steak, shaking until the meat gets well-coated. (You can also put the steak directly in the mixing bowl but you'll want to turn it at least once while the meat is marinating.)

Refrigerate for at least two hours but no longer than overnight. When you're ready to start cooking, remove the steak from the marinade, pat dry and let the meat come to room temperature.

Preheat an outdoor grill over a medium-high flame and brush the grates of the grill with oil so the meat doesn't stick. (You can also broil the meat in the oven.)

Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and grill (or broil) for about seven minutes per side for medium-rare; about two minutes more for medium.

Remove the steak from the heat and let it rest on a cutting board for about five minutes, then slice it diagonally against the grain.

Warm up your tortillas. Get your rice, beans, and guacamole ready, and you're good to go.

Serves four to six.

From "Are We Having Any Fun Yet?" by Sammy Hagar (William Morrow)