ROBERT DEL GRANDE LOOKS AND COOKS LIKE A TEXAN, BUT HE IS IN FACT, A CALIFORNIAN.

HIS EARLY CULINARY EXPERIENCE WAS IN AN ICE CREAM PARLOR, NOT A RESTAURANT.

AND HE HAS A DEGREE IN BIOCHEMISTRY, RATHER THAN GASTRONOMY.

HE GOT INTO THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS IN 1981 WHEN HE WAS HELPING OUT HIS WIFE-TO-BE IN A SMALL HOUSTON BISTRO OWNED BY HER SISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW.

HE FOUND HE LOVED COOKING, AND THERE BEGAN HIS CULINARY CAREER.

HE SET HIMSELF TO READ VORACIOUSLY, TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND TO COOK, AND COOK, AND KEEP ON COOKING, AND EXPERIMENTING.

TODAY THAT SAME LITTLE BISTRO, CAFE ANNIE, HAS BECOME A MAINSTAY OF THE NEW TEXAS COOKERY THAT TREATS TRADITIONAL FOODS AND FLAVORS IN A VARIETY OF CONTEMPORARY WAYS.

TAKE CHILES, FOR EXAMPLE.

IT'S THE VERITABLE SYMBOL OF TEXAS AND THERE'S SO MANY SIZES AND SHAPES AND COLORS AND DEGREES OF HEAT AND ALL OF THE NAMES - POBLANO, ANCHO, CHILACA, PASILLA, JALAPENO - I DON'T KNOW EVEN HOW TO PRONOUNCE THEM ALL.

CHEF ROBERT IS A REAL AUTHORITY ON THE SUBJECT AND HE SAYS, "DON'T PANIC," CONCENTRATE MORE ON CHARACTERISTICS THAN ON NAMES.

HIS GENERAL RULE FOR FRESH RED AND GREEN CHILES IS, THE SMALLER THE HOTTER AND THE LARGER THE MILDER.

IN FRESH CHILES, MOST OF THE HEAT IS IN THE SEEDS AND IN THE OIL IN THE SEEDS, SO BE VERY CAREFUL WHEN YOU OPEN THEM.

IN DRIED CHILES, THE OIL HAS PENETRATED THE FLESH MAKING IT HOT.

REMEMBER TO TEST AND TO TASTE ALL THE TIME AS YOU COOK WITH CHILES.

YOU COULD ALWAYS ADD MORE IF IT'S TOO MILD, BUT ONCE IT'S IN YOU CAN'T TAKE IT OUT.

NOW, LET'S WATCH CHEF ROBERT DEL GRANDE PUT SOME OF THESE SPICY LITTLE FELLOWS TO WORK WHILE HE COOKS UP SOME SEARED SEA SCALLOPS.

IN THIS RECIPE FOR SEA SCALLOPS WITH WILD MUSHROOMS IN TOMATILLO SAUCE, I'M GONNA USE THESE SERRANO CHILES; THEY'RE A PARTICULAR FAVORITE OF MINE - THEY HAVE A NICE SHARP CHILE FLAVOR.

WELL, I REALLY LIKE PRETTY SPICY FOODS, SO WHAT I USUALLY DO IS JUST BREAK THE STEMS OFF AND THROW THEM IN WHOLE.

AND AGAIN, YOU CAN USE ONE OR TWO, OR YOU CAN USE FOUR OR SIX DEPENDING ON HOW SPICY YOU LIKE YOUR FOOD.

SO I'M GOING TO PUT THESE IN THE POT AND TO THIS I'M GONNA ADD TOMATILLOS WHICH ARE THESE LITTLE GREEN HUSKED TOMATOES, AND YOU JUST PEEL THESE OFF.

TOMATILLOS SHOULD BE NICE AND GREEN LIKE THAT AND VERY FIRM.

WE'LL ADD THESE TO THE POT.

THESE HAVE THE BEAUTIFUL TART CITRUSY-TYPE FLAVOR THAT WORKS REAL WELL WITH THE SEA SCALLOPS AS WELL AS WITH THE CHILE.

ALSO, I'M GONNA ADD A LITTLE WHITE ONION, A HALF OF IT, AND JUST REALLY COARSELY CHOPPED, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE VERY PRECISE, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BOIL IT AND THEN PUREE IT.

AND THEN A COUPLE OF GARLIC CLOVES.

GARLIC IS KIND OF LIKE CHILE, BECAUSE YOU CAN ADD ONE OR TWO OR THREE DEPENDING UPON HOW MUCH Y0U LIKE IT.

THEN JUST ADD ENOUGH WATER TO COVER THE INGREDIENTS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REALLY MEASURE THIS VERY PRECISELY, JUST SO THAT THE TOMATILLOS SORT OF SWIM AROUND IN THERE.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BOIL IT FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES TO COOK THE TOMATILLOS.

NOW, THESE ARE THE TOMATILLOS WHEN THEY'RE COOKED.

AND THEY HAVEN'T BLOWN UP-THEY'RE JUST A VERY SOFT, THEY HAVE A VERY SOFT QUALITY TO THEM NOW.

YOU DON'T WANT TO COOK THEM UNTIL THEY BLOW UP AND DISSOLVE AND YOU HAVE YOURSELF A MESS IN THE POT.

SO THEY SHOULD STILL LOOK LIKE TOMATILLOS.

THEN, DRAIN OFF THE LIQUID, AND THEN ADD THEM TO YOUR BLENDER.

NOW, WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS SORT OF CONTROL IT BY JUST PULSING IT.

SO THAT YOU LEAVE SOME TEXTURE TO THE SAUCE.

AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THERE'S STILL A LOT OF TEXTURE REMAINING THERE AND THAT WILL BE VERY NICE WHEN WE FINISH THE SAUCE, IT WILL HAVE A NICE TEXTURAL FEEL TO IT.

SO FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SAUCE I'M GOING TO USE THESE SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS WHICH ARE WILD MUSHROOMS.

YOU COULD USE OTHER TYPES OF WILD MUSHROOMS YOU LIKE OR EVEN THE REGULAR WHITE OR BROWN MUSHROOMS, EITHER ONE WOULD WORK IN THE SAUCE.

NOW I JUST CUT THEM INTO NOT REAL FINE PIECES; SOMETHING THAT WHEN WE SAUTE THEM THEY'LL HAVE A NICE SHAPE IN THE SAUCE.

AND THEN THIS IS CILANTRO, WHICH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE HERBS, IT HAS A VERY BOLD FRESH FLAVOR WHEN IT'S RAW OR JUST SLIGHTLY COOKED.

AND THE LONGER YOU COOK IT THE MORE SUBTLE IT GETS.

I JUST KIND OF ROLL IT UP AND CHOP RIGHT THROUGH EVERYTHING, THE LEAVES, THE STEMS AND EVERYTHING.

I USUALLY CUT DOWN TO WHERE THE STEMS BEGIN TO GET VERY, VERY THICK.

AND THEN JUST KIND OF ROUGHLY CHOP IT TILL IT LOOKS JUST ABOUT RIGHT.

I WOULDN'T MINCE IT TOO FAR BECAUSE IT TURNS KIND OF DARK AND SORT OF WET, YOU WANT TO KEEP THE NICE FRESHNESS TO IT.

AND THEN NEXT, I'M GONNA START THE CORN PUDDING AND IT'S MADE BY USING FRESH CORN THAT WE GRATE ON A CHEESE GRATER, IT'S KIND OF LIKE HOW YOU'D MAKE CREAM CORN.

YOU JUST RUB THE FRESH CORN OVER THE GRATER.

IN THE SUMMERTIME, THIS IS THE GREATEST THING, THE CORN IS SO SWEET, IT'S HARD TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT YOU DIDN'T PUT SUGAR IN IT.

OKAY, WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED GRATING THE CORN, WHAT YOU'LL HAVE IN THE BOWL IS A VERY NICE PUREE OF CORN, THAT HAS NOT ONLY THE CORN KERNELS GRATED BUT AS WELL AS HAVE THAT MILK THAT COMES FROM THE COB THAT WILL MAKE THE CUSTARD, VERY NICE AND SMOOTH AND SWEET.

OKAY, NOW I'M GONNA COOK THE CORN PUDDING.

I BROUGHT SOME MILK TO A BOIL, ONE OF THE FEW TIMES I HAVEN'T OVER-BOILED IT.

AND I'M GONNA START THIS CORN PUDDING BY ADDING A LITTLE CORNMEAL TO THICKEN UP THE MILK.

THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS IS TO ADD THE CORNMEAL SLOWLY WHILE YOU'RE WHIPPING IT.

IF THE MILK IS GOOD AND HOT, THIS WILL THICKEN PRETTY FAST.

AND ALL THAT YOU REALLY WANT TO DO IS JUST GET IT TO A NICE THICKNESS AND AS SOON AS IT SHOWS A LITTLE BIT OF BOILING IT'S USUALLY ENOUGH.

THEN, YOU ADD THE CORN PUREE THAT WE'VE GRATED TO THE MIXTURE.

YOU JUST WANT TO COOK IT ENOUGH TO GET IT THICKEN UP BECAUSE THE STARCH AND THE MILK FROM THE CORN WILL KIND OF SLOWLY SET TOO TO GIVE YOU A NICE PUDDING-LIKE TEXTURE.

NOW ONCE IT'S THICK, THEN YOU JUST TAKE IT OFF THE HEAT, AND KEEP IT WARM TILL IT'S READY TO SERVE.

NEXT, I'M GOING TO SAUTE THE MUSHROOMS IN SOME BUTTER.

THAT'S ABOUT TWO TABLESPOONS.

THAT'S A VERY HOT FIRE.

ALL WE WANT TO DO IS JUST REALLY BURN THE WATER OUT AND LET THE BUTTER JUST SLIGHTLY BROWN, AND THEN WE'LL ADD THE MUSHROOMS.

SO THESE MUSHROOMS WE'LL JUST SLOWLY STIR OVER THE FIRE AND WHAT THEY'LL DO IS, AS THEY COOK THEY'LL BEGIN TO EXUDE SOME JUICE AND THEN THOSE JUICES WILL CARAMELIZE IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT, THAT'S WHAT YOU REALLY WANT TO LOOK FOR BECAUSE THOSE ARE THOSE NICE LITTLE PAN-ROASTED FLAVORS, SIMILAR TO WHAT YOU WOULD GET FROM A STEAK OR A ROAST, OR ROAST OF BEEF.

OKAY, NOW THE MUSHROOMS ARE FAIRLY WELL SAUTEED AND LIGHTLY BROWN, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE SOME NICE LITTLE CARAMELIZED SEDIMENTS IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.

NOW, WE'LL ADD THE TOMATILLO SAUCE, AND YOU SEE IN MEXICAN COOKING SOMETIMES YOU'LL FRY THE SAUCE, IT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS ADD THE SAUCE TO THE HOT PAN.

NOW ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS REALLY STIR, AND GENTLY STIR THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN AND YOU'LL SEE OF THOSE LITTLE PAN JUICES SLOWLY DISSOLVE.

THEN, ONCE YOU'VE PICKED UP ALL OF THE JUICES FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN, WE'LL ADD A LITTLE BIT OF CHICKEN STOCK AND THIS IS ABOUT ANYWHERE FROM OH, A HALF OF A CUP TO A CUP.

REALLY YOU JUST WANT TO THIN IT DOWN TILL IT'S A NICE CONSISTENCY.

SO NOW, BUT BEFORE I SALT THE SAUCE I'M GONNA JUST TASTE IT.

IF YOU USE CANNED CHICKEN STOCK, SOMETIMES IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE SALTY THAN IF YOU USE YOUR OWN CHICKEN STOCK.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO CHECK THE SEASONING BEFORE YOU SALT IT.

SO I'LL ADD LITTLE BIT OF SALT TO THIS.

ALSO THE TOMATILLOS, THEY'RE PRIZED FOR THEIR VERY CITRUSY, TART QUALITY.

BUT SOMETIMES IN THE COOLER GROWING SEASONS THEY GET VERY, VERY TART, SO IF YOU TASTE THE SAUCE LIKE NOW, IT'S A LITTLE BIT TARTER THAN YOU'D LIKE IT - ADD A LITTLE BIT OF SUGAR JUST TO SORT OF BALANCE THAT OUT, IT'S NOT TO MAKE IT SWEET, IT'S JUST TO BRING THOSE FLAVORS INTO BALANCE WHICH IS VERY "KEY" IN COOKING.

OKAY, SO I'M GONNA PUT THIS OFF TO THE SIDE AND NOW I'M GOING TO SAUTE THE SEA SCALLOPS.

NOW I JUST PUT A LITTLE BIT OF SALT ON THEM AND A LITTLE BIT OF PEPPER.

THEN I PUT A LITTLE MORE BUTTER IN THIS HOT SKILLET, GET IT MELTED TO COAT THE PAN.

NOW WE'LL USE THE SAME IDEA HERE THAT WE USED FOR THE MUSHROOM, THE IDEA BEING THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEAR THESE SEA SCALLOPS AT A FAIRLY HOT TEMPERATURE WHERE THE OUTSIDE GETS A NICE CRISPY SEAR ON THEM, AND THEN WE'LL TURN THE PAN DOWN AND LET THEM GRILL SLOWLY.

BUT THE MAIN THING WE WANT TO WATCH FOR IS THAT WE DON'T WANT A LOT OF JUICE BUILDING UP IN THE PAN BECAUSE THEN WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IS WE TAKE OUR SEARING OF OUR VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE SKILLET, THE WATER WOULD SORT OF BOIL AND THE TEMPERATURE WOULD COME DOWN.

INSTEAD OF HAVING PAN SEARED SCALLOPS WE WOULD HAVE PAN BOILED SCALLOPS AND THAT WOULD BE A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TASTE THAN THIS, THESE SCALLOPS THAT ARE NICELY SEARED AND BROWN LIKE THAT.

SO TO TELL IF THE SCALLOPS ARE DONE YOU CAN JUST FEEL THEM WITH YOUR FINGERS TO SEE HOW SOFT THEY ARE IN THE CENTER.

AND WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO FEEL LIKE, THEY SHOULD BE FIRM AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A GIVE, NOT REAL HARD AND SOLID, AND IF YOU DON'T WANT TO USE YOUR FINGERS YOU CAN ALSO JUST USE A TONG OR A SPOON AND JUST SQUEEZE THEM.

THEY SHOULD HAVE A LOVELY SOFT SORT OF CUSHION TO THEM.

SO THESE ARE JUST ABOUT DONE AND WHEN THE SCALLOPS ARE READY, I'M GOING BRING THIS, I'M GOING TO HEAT THE SAUCE BACK UP, AND AT THE LAST MINUTE I'M GOING TO ADD THE CILANTRO TO IT BECAUSE AS I SAID EARLIER, CILANTRO IS KIND OF AN AMAZING HERB, WHEN IT'S VERY, VERY FRESH IN A SAUCE IT HAS A VERY BOLD FLAVOR, A VERY WONDERFUL FRESH FLAVOR.

SO I LIKE TO ADD IT RIGHT AT THE LAST MINUTE AND JUST BRING THE SAUCE UP TO A BOIL AND THAT WAY WE'LL GET THE VERY BRIGHT GREEN FRESH CILANTRO TASTE.

AND ALSO IT'S VERY, VERY PRETTY, THE BRIGHT GREEN.

SO ONCE IT BOILS, NOW WE'RE READY TO PLATE THE DISH.

FIRST, I'M GONNA ADD A LITTLE BIT OF CREAM TO THIS CORN PUDDING TO FINISH IT.

JUST MAYBE TWO TABLESPOONS, BECAUSE THE CREAM GIVES IT A NICE SWEET FLAVOR AND MAKES THE CUSTARD JUST A LITTLE BIT RICHER.

THEN, IN THE CENTER OF A DINNER PLATE, PUT A LITTLE BIT OF THE CORN PUDDING.

THEN I SPOON A LITTLE BIT OF THE SAUCE, JUST KIND OF AROUND THE PUDDING, OVER THE PUDDING, ALONG SIDE OF THE PUDDING, ONTO THE PLATE, SO YOU GET TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF THE GREEN SAUCE AS WELL AS THE PRETTY YELLOW OF THE CORN PUDDING.

THEN FOR OUR MAIN COURSE WE WOULD PUT THREE LARGE SCALLOPS SORT OF NESTLED IN THE CENTER, AND THEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO DO IS TO ADD TO THE END JUST A LITTLE BIT OF FRESH CREAM, COLD EVEN, JUST KIND OF POUR IT OVER THE TOP -- LET IT RUN INTO THE SAUCE.

AND THEN I'M JUST GOING TO GARNISH IT, THIS IS FRESH TOMATO SALSA IN THE CENTER, FOR LIKE ANOTHER CONTRAST.

AND THEN I'LL JUST PUT A LITTLE SPRIG OF CILANTRO ON TOP TO FINISH THE DISH.

AND YOU COULD SERVE JUST ONE SCALLOP IF YOU'D LIKE AS AN APPETIZER, BUT AS A MAIN COURSE THAT'S HOW WE'D DO IT.

NEXT, ROBERT BRINGS US TWO TEXAS STAPLES, BEEF AND CHILES, TOGETHER IN A RECIPE FOR SEARED FILET MIGNON STEAKS BRAISED IN A REAL TEXAS STYLE TOMATO AND CHILE SAUCE.

WITH THE FILET OF BEEF, I'M GONNA MAKE A VERY TRADITIONAL RED CHILE SAUCE FROM A BASE OF TOMATOES, ONION AND GARLIC AND WITH THESE DRIED CHILES, THESE ARE THE PASILLA CHILES, ALTHOUGH YOU COULD USE IF YOU LIKE SOME OTHER RED VARIETIES LIKE THESE GUAJILLO OR ANCHO CHILES.

THIS IS A VERY GENERAL METHOD FOR MAKING RED CHILE SAUCE.

NOW THESE ARE THE CHOPPED ONIONS, SO I PUT THESE IN THE SKILLET SORT OF LIKE A BED.

NOW I'LL ADD THE GARLIC CLOVES ON TOP OF THAT AND THEN I'LL ADD THE TOMATOES AND WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS PUT THESE IN A VERY HOT BROILER.

AND WE'RE GOING TO ESSENTIALLY BLISTER THEM, ALMOST VIRTUALLY CHAR THEM.

THEY'LL BLACKEN AND THEY'LL TAKE ON A WHOLE DIFFERENT VARIETY OF FLAVORS, VERY SMOKY AND CARAMELIZED.

I'LL PUT THESE IN THE BROILER.

NOW WHILE THE TOMATOES ARE BROILING, I'M GOING TO TOAST THE PASILLA CHILES.

AND THIS SOMETIMES LOOKS RATHER UNUSUAL WHEN YOU TAKE THE DRIED CHILE AND PUT IT INTO A PAN AND TRY TO TOAST IT.

THESE CHILES ARE DRIED AND NOT COOKED, THEY HAVEN'T SEEN VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE.

NOW, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO NOW IS JUST LIGHTLY TOAST THEM IN THIS MEDIUM-WARM SKILLET.

AND THE IDEA IS TO BRING OUT MORE FLAVOR IN THE CHILE.

AND RED CHILES WILL TAKE ON A VERY UNUSUAL CHOCOLATEY TOASTED-TEA-COFFEE TYPE AROMA AND THE IDEA IS, YOU'LL KNOW WHEN THEY'RE DONE BECAUSE YOU START TO SMELL THEM, THEY GET VERY, VERY AROMATIC.

AND SOMETIMES THEY'LL EVEN PUFF UP A LITTLE BIT.

JUST TRY AND TURN THEM SLOWLY IN THE WARM SKILLET, YOU CAN SEE HOW THESE ARE NOW PUFFED UP QUITE A BIT AS THEY TOAST.

AND NOW I'M GETTING A VERY STRONG SMELL OF CHOCOLATE COFFEE AND CHILE.

SO I THINK THESE ARE READY TO GO.

NOW THESE ARE THE BROILED TOMATOES, YOU SEE THEY'RE FAIRLY WELL CHARRED, NOT NECESSARILY BURNED, BUT CHARRED.

AND YOU CAN TELL BY LOOKING AT THEM EVEN THE ONIONS HAVE A LITTLE NICE BROWNING TO THEM.

SO THESE ARE GOING TO TRANSFER TO THE BLENDER.

ONCE YOU HAVE ALL OF THE ONIONS, AND GARLIC AND TOMATO IN THE BLENDER, IT'S NICE TO ADD THE CHICKEN STOCK TO THE PAN BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE LEFT IN THE PAN IS ALL OF THOSE JUICES FROM THE TOMATOES THAT HAVE SORT OF CARAMELIZED.

AND IT JUST WOULD BE TERRIBLE TO WASH THEM DOWN THE SINK.

MIGHT AS WELL USE THE STOCK TO DE-GLAZE THE PAN AND PUT THAT IN WITH THE SAUCE TOO.

A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF COOKING HAS TO DO WITH CAPTURING FLAVORINGS THAT ARE AlREADY THERE AND SOMETIMES A LOT OF GOOD FLAVOR GETS THROWN INTO THE POT SINK.

THEN THE TOASTED PASILLA CHILES, BEFORE WE USE THEM WE JUST BREAK THE ENDS OFF AND JUST EMPTY THE SEEDS OUT.

THEN ONCE WE REMOVE THE SEEDS OUT, JUST BREAK THEM INTO SORT OF SMALLER PIECES AND FIT THEM INTO THE BLENDER.

AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO PUREE IT.

IF YOU LET IT GO FOR THIRTY SECONDS OR A MINUTE, EVENTUALLY EVERYTHING WILL BE PUREED VERY SMOOTH, WHICH IN THIS CASE WOULD BE A VERY SMOOTH CHILE SAUCE VERSUS VERY CHUNKY CHILE SAUCE.

IT'S A MATTER OF DECIDING WHAT TYPE OF TEXTURE THAT YOU REALLY LIKE.

NOW I'M GOING TO SEASON THE BEEF WITH A LITTLE BIT OF SALT AND PEPPER AND I FIND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEASON BEEF PARTICULARLY RIGHT BEFORE YOU COOK IT WITH SALT AND PEPPER, SO WHEN WE SEAR IT, THOSE FLAVORS ALL INTEGRATE WELL IN THE MEAT.

IT GIVES YOU A NICE KIND OF TASTY CRUST ON THE OUTSIDE.

AND THEN I'M GONNA TAKE THESE TO THE STOVE AND WE'LL COOK THEM.

HERE I HAVE A VERY HOT SKILLET TO SEAR THE MEAT.

I'M GONNA PUT JUST A LITTLE PEANUT OIL IN, NOT MUCH, JUST PUT A LITTLE OIL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.

AND THEN I'M GONNA ADD THE BEEF, VERY HOT TO SEAR THE FILETS; THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE SCALLOPS, AGAIN, USING VERY HIGH HEAT TO GET A NICE CARAMEL FLAVOR ON THE BEEF.

FILET OF BEEF IS A GREAT CUT OF MEAT, IT'S VERY, VERY TENDER AND I THINK THAT - SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL HOW YOU COOK IT, SO IN THIS RECIPE WHAT WE'RE DOING, IS FIRST WE'RE SEARING THE MEAT AT A VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE TO GET THAT CARAMEL BROWN FLAVOR.

THEN, WE'LL TAKE THE FILETS OUT OF THE PAN, ADD OUR SAUCE IN, AND LET IT COOK A WHILE, THEN ADD THE FILETS BACK.

LET THEM POACH SLOWLY IN THE SAUCE TO PRESERVE THAT NICE TEXTURE.

SO ONCE THEY BROWN VERY NICELY, I'LL TURN THESE OVER AND YOU CAN SEE HOW NICELY THEY'RE SEARED.

AND THE MEAT INSIDE REALLY HASN'T COOKED VERY MUCH YET, BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET A NICE SEAR ON THEM, DO THE SAME THING ON THE OTHER SIDE, LET THEM BROWN, AND THEN WE'LL TAKE THEM OUT.

YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO COOK THE FILETS ALL THE WAY THROUGH ON THIS HIGH A HEAT BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY THEN THE MEAT WOULD COOK SO HOT ON THE OUTSIDE IT WOULD BE WELL DONE ON BOTH SIDES WITH A LITTLE BIT OF PINKNESS IN THE MIDDLE.

WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS JUST GET A LITTLE THIN LAYER OF SEAR ON THE OUTSIDE AND LEAVE THE FILET BASICALLY UNDERCOOKED, OR RARE IN THE MIDDLE, AND THEN THAT WAY WHEN WE PUT IN THE SAUCE IT WOULD GENTLY COOK AND HAVE THAT NICE PINKNESS ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

ONCE IT'S BEEN WELL-SEARED ON BOTH SIDES, WE THEN REMOVE THEM FROM THE SKILLET TO A PLATE.

SO THEN IN THE SAME SKILLET WE'LL ADD THE PUREE OF TOMATO AND CHILE.

AND AGAIN, SORT OF LIGHTLY COOK THE SAUCE PICKING UP ALL THE PAN JUICES FROM THE BEEF.

SO NOW I'M GOING TO TASTE THE SAUCE TO SEE HOW IT'S PROGRESSING.

NOW THE FLAVORS HAVE REALLY STARTED TO COME OUT.

AND AT THIS POINT, I'M GONNA ADD A LITTLE BIT OF SALT AND PEPPER, SOMETIMES I WAIT ALWAYS TILL THE LAST MINUTE FOR SALT AND PEPPER.

TO LET THE OTHER INGREDIENTS SORT OF WORK FIRST.

AND ALSO, WHAT I DO A LOT OF TIMES IS ADD A LITTLE SOMETHING SWEET TO THE SAUCE AT THE LAST MINUTE, IN THIS CASE IF YOU TASTE IT YOU CAN FIND HOW SPICY THE SAUCE IS, HOW TART FROM THE TOMATOES, AND I'LL ADD JUST A LITTLE BIT OF BROWN SUGAR AND THIS IS SORT OF GIVE THE SAUCE A LITTLE ROUNDER FLAVOR, A LITTLE BIT OF THAT ALMOST KIND OF A BARBECUE EDGE, SPICY, AND TART, AND SWEET AT THE SAME TIME.

AND IT ACTS TO SORT OF BRING ALL OF THE FLAVORS TOGETHER.

THEN I'LL ADD A LITTLE BIT OF CILANTRO, ABOUT TWO TABLESPOONS.

NOW AT THIS POINT, I'M GOING TO ADD THE FILETS WHICH ARE SEARED RARE BACK TO THE SAUCE, AND LET THEM SLOWLY COOK IN THE SAUCE.

NOW THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM PUTTING THEM INTO WATER, SAY, THEY'RE NOT REALLY BOILING IN THERE, THEY'RE ACTUALLY SORT OF WARMING SLOWING IN THE SAUCE AS MORE LIKE LIKE COOKING IN A SLOW OVEN BECAUSE THIS HAS SO MUCH PUREED TOMATO, AND CHILE, THAT IT NO LONGER QUITE BEHAVES LIKE WATER.

AND THEN A LITTLE BIT OF THE SEARING ON THE OUTSIDE WILL SORT OF BLEED INTO THE SAUCE AND KIND OF MAKE IT EVEN RICHER.

THIS WILL TAKE ON VERY LOW HEAT, JUST ABOUT THREE TO FIVE MINUTES TO COOK THEM TO A NICE MEDIUM-RARE.

SO THESE FILETS SHOULD JUST ABOUT BE READY.

AND I THINK WE'RE READY TO PLATE UP THIS DISH.

I'M GONNA FINISH THIS DISH WITH A LITTLE AVOCADO RELISH AND SOME COTIJA CHEESE GRATED WHICH IS AN AGED COW-MILK CHEESE.

IT HAS A VERY NICE SHARP, SLIGHTLY BITTER FLAVOR, PROBABLY SIMILAR TO AN AGED DRIED FETA CHEESE.

NOW I'M GONNA PUT THE FILET IN THE CENTER OF THE PLATE, AND THEN SPOON SOME OF THE WONDERFUL SAUCE OVER THE FILET.

THEN I'M GONNA TOP THE FILET WITH A LITTLE FRESH AVOCADO RELISH.

AGAIN, KIND OF INTERESTING PLAY OF TEXTURES AND FLAVORS.

AND THE VERY LAST THING IS THE COTIJA CHEESE, YOU JUST SORT OF SPRINKLE OVER THE TOP WHICH GIVES IT A NICE LOOK AND A NICE FLAVOR.

SO WHEN YOU THINK OF TEXAS, AND BEEF, AND CHILES, THIS DISH BRINGS ALL THOSE FLAVORS TOGETHER.

THAT'S A FIRST-CLASS DISH, BECAUSE ROBERT TASTES CAREFULLY AND CONSTANTLY MAKING ADJUSTMENTS FOR TEMPERATURES AND TEXTURES AND NUANCES OF FLAVOR.

YOU CAN'T DEFINE THESE IN A RECIPE, YOU CAN ONLY KNOW THEM BY KNOWING THROUGH EXPERIENCE HOW THE FOOD SHOULD TASTE.

THIS IS WHAT GOOD COOKING IS ALL ABOUT.

THIS IS JULIA CHILD FOR COOKING WITH MASTER CHEFS.

BON APPETIT.

Julia Child: Bon Appétit