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Call me Barbaric Blame it on my viking roots, but I'm unashamed and proud of my love for grilled meat.
Obviously, this is a bit dramatic and clearly contrived.
I mean, I don't always use the sword to cut meat in the kitchen.
That's ketchup, by the way.
But there is something magical that happens when you cook this way.
The primal heat of the fire, the smell in the air, the chemical reaction that happens when grease meets flame.
Melted fats, burned bits and all the goodness.
The Midwest is sort of jokingly known for grilling out in the backyard but every coin has two sides and inherently as a Dane, my other favorite food is seafood.
Fish, shrimp, crab, lobster.
The combination of these two things done at the same time..
I mean, who can't relate with that?
But that's not the question here.
The question is, what does any of this have to do with Ecuador, Uraguay and soccer?
Wow I saw it!
We got enough.
As a chef, I need to stay curious in order to evolve.
For me, that means looking beyond a great meal to learn more about who made it and what inspires them to cook.
Every great city has great food.
I'm going on a journey around the world right here in St. Louis to find good food and experience other cultures.
I'm on a quest to find passionate chefs who cook from the heart because food is love.
Its going to be delicious!
Food is Love, Love your food.
It takes two halfs to make a whole.
Two to Tango and opposites usually attract for a reason.
Meet Maria and her husband, Danielle, but you can call him Freddy owner and operators of Asador Del Sur.
Translated, Asador Del Sur means Southern Grill.
Danielle was born and raised in Uraguay while his wife, Maria, comes from Ecuador Each bringing with them the food of their homeland.
Together, covering a broad spectrum of seafood like Dungeness crab, Langostinos, Alongside a menu with a variety of grilled meats.
I'm dropping by to see what they do here and have A light supper with them before they close for the day.
Based on what I know about their Maplewood restaurant and the things I'm smelling in the kitchen, I've already decided to do whatever I can to get on their good side.
He is Dwayne, our Executive Chef.
Okay.
And right now we're trying to put together in Parrilliada.
Which is just It's a different cuts of meat, sausage, blood sausages and intestines like ahhh chitlins...called chi, They're called chinchulines in South America.
And now you're going to see the whole process.
In Uraguay Basically, when you're a boy, you learn this from your dad.
Your dad passes it to you, your uncles and basically it's a process.
They let you first start a fire and they're like cook a couple of sausages And when they know you're ready, they will actually let you do the whole parrilliada thing.
Uruguayan food is very meat centric and most often associated with ideas of Gauchos and rugged terrain.
The steaks are thick and there's no apprehension in the large cuts.
Usually it's combos of different bits, all cooked over an open flame.
The focus on variety and cuts Danielle offers are a direct reference to Uruguayan traditions and the taste that comes from cooking something over a real flame is one of the hallmarks.
Those are the blood sausage, skirt steak and short ribs.
Very common cuts, I will say one of the famous cuts in South America Another sign that Danielle has stayed true to his roots is, this sweet breads.
The thymus gland to be exact.
I love sweet breads to me is one of the best.
So I see, like Argentinians when they Cook, it only salt only salt.
Uraguay and Argentina We pretty much cook the same way.
This is the part where I can quote a line from the classic Anthony Hopkins role from the famous 90 psyco thriller But I won't because I'm sure you get the reference, but in reality it's quite delicious.
Sans the fava beans and served here with chimichurri.
The best way to eat this is right next to the grill.
So like that with the chimichuri and I think it's the best you let me know.
You can taste the lemon.
You can taste the salt, the tens of the sweet bread.
It's noteworthy and no exaggeration to say you can probably not find this dish within a couple of hundred miles of here at least.
The fatty texture and the chimichuri is what I'm going to be daydreaming about a long time and it's on the menu.
And now I want you to try the same way you grab a little of the chimichuri and go into into the blood sausage.
You let me know.
We always joke with my wife that you can add chimichuri to arroz con leche and you will eat it because it makes everything better Chimichuri is the sauce that goes with everything.
Once upon a time Back in Uruguay, before the move to Miami, Danielle was a pro soccer player Back in 87, a couple of friends and myself, We came to try and play soccer and United States back in 87 and it wasn't the right moment at that time.
But I can not complain.
Everything went well.
And now I'm married after 25 years ago and my beautiful wife and an owning this restaurant.
My son is following my step foot steps and is playing forward rightt now for Miami United in Miami.
Okay.
he just turned 19 years old and he wants to become a professional soccer player.
And it's is not because my son, he's a great player and I wanted to see him become a professional soccer player.
My wife, she used to own a restaurant 25 years ago back in Miami.
And then she sold it.
And then she moved on.
And so if I was always back there, Wanting to open a restaurant eventually.
So when we came to St Louis looking for the place to to go with the family, we didn't see it one my wife goes, This is the place.
And I said, Are you sure?
She said this is the place.
So I say, Okay, if this is the place then starts searching With the grilling done, Maria has begun to prep her dungeonous crab creation.
Ecuador is partially coastal, so growing up Maria ate seafood.
This isn't the thick cuts of meat and Danielle grew up on, But these crabs are huge.
The beer boil is ready for the crabs, and they're so big she can only boil two at a time.
It doesn't get any fresher than this.
15 minutes in the boil and they're ready.
I'm from Ecuador from Guyaquil.
Ecuador is located on the Pacific Coast of South America and one of its main exports is shrimp I think at one point it was like in the third place in the world for exporting shrimp.
Shrimp is, I think, cheaper than actually eating meat.
Totally opposite of my husband that he grew up in cow country.
My husband told me.
You know what in my country, that's the kind of meat we eat.
And the chimichuri and this andI said, Well, guess what?
I only eat seafood.
I eat lobster.
I eat crabs.
Shrimps, Langostinos..
So one day, when we were dating before we got married, I told him to come to my house, and I said, I want to cook for you.
So I made a mariscala and it has lobster, a lot of seafood, a muscles, clams.
And he got hooked.
And the first thing he said, he said, Okay, fine.
I'm going to marry you.
And I was saying, Okay,.. we were just going out.
And he told me, Oh, my God, this is great!
And 24 years later, 25 years later, he's still asking me, You never did it again for me.. Then I said, When have you seen That you keep feeding a fish that is already on your hook?
No, you already fell for it.
That's it.
I'm not doing it again.
Way to a man's heart is through his stomach.
Honestly, I'm a seafood eater.
And now it's a good combination.
Any love story that involves a restaurant is my kind of story.
A happy couple and a happy marriage of their different tastes of food.
Proof that you can fall in love when you eat good food.
Food is really love, because that's how he got hooked.
Finally, it's time to eat.
You can see here that we have the carabinero.
This is from Spain and the ones from South Africa, the langastino.
I don't know if you have ever tried them and how to..
Okay, so you know how to eat those.
I mean, it's a very specific taste.
I love it.
It's pure ocean.
This is my kind of food.
Seafood.
Asador Del Sur is not Maria's first rodeo in the restaurant world.
She and Danielle are transplants to St Louis from Miami.
And the climate might seem like the biggest difference here.
But if you ask Maria, the seasonal weather here comes with a warmer welcome all the way around.
I spoke to my brother.
My brother he lives in Missouri for 24 years.
And I always told him, you want to come to Miami and help me with my restaurant.
He has experience in restaurants.
And he said he always told me to come here and actually open my restaurant.
And I said, No, you know, I mean, there's no Latinos there.
Listen, there's nothing like your food here.
We started coming more and more and being as a family and going to places and trying this food and the food and the And I said, Oh, my gosh, Yes.
There's nothing like this food here.
And we started searching.
And when we went to Maplewood and found this place, We fell in love.
We fall in love with the place, with the history, with the people and its been very welcoming.
The beginning was a little bit scary.
But coming from New York and coming from Miami, where people are not that community oriented oriented.
It's kind of a shock, you know, being from South America, living in New York, living in Miami, when you own, you mind your own business.
And here from day one, the landlord in this place was awesome.
Like I said, Am I so lucky?
And he said, No, you're in the Midwest.
This is the way we are.
I said, Wow.
I was so blessed to be in the city of Maplewood.
And from day one, not only my landlord, the city Maplewood, call me, introduce me to my neighbors and my number saying, What were you needing?
What do you need?
What is there, where you are.. very welcoming.
It made this experience of opening a restaurant an easy one So should we toast to Midwest hospitality?
Yes.
To St Louis and Mapelwood and t Since we opened the restaurant, everybody is ordering more and more blood sausages, more and more, of our cuts because they loved it.
As a self proclaimed seafood expert.
And I believe her.
I looked to Maria to show me how to eat a crab correctly.
This is called Congreho in Spanish.
The crabs.
you hold it in here and then you open it.
The sound of a cracking shell just builds my anticipation.
Don't feel bad.
It took me about 17 years to learn how to do it.
No, that is true.
So I don't eat this part.
I only, I clean, which is the inside without touching the fat the yellow part.
So I just leave the fat in here pretty much.
So I put in some salsa.
Do you like it spicy?
Yeah.
I don't know if it's that spicy.
So this is a salsa creoles tomato, some radishes, cucumber tomato and lime and cilantro.
But you can put whatever red pepper you would like to know.
And then I clean.
Also, this part of the crab again, the lungs.. And now the real work begins.
The idea is to remove all the meat from the body and legs and put it into the shell with the salsa.
We just cut it, break it in half.
Maria is thorough, and she takes it personally if any of the meat is wasted.
So I'm just trying to keep up with her.
Now we come down to the meat.
Yeah.
Then you remove the meat from there.
It might seem tedious, but Maria makes it look easy, I've never really done it this way.
This is a great idea to turn it over like that.
and use it as a vessel.
Yes, I like that.
So we just mix it around.
Yes.
I just mix it around.
And if you like crab as much as I do, you know, the reward is worth the footwork.
That was an intentional pun.
I knew this was going to be good.
That guy was crawling a few minutes back.
I know.
Cannot be fresher than that.
I kind of felt bad for him now.
I don't feel bad for him anymore.
Unbelievable.
I'm full in more ways than one.
Maplewood has been welcoming to Maria and her new business, and the community is catching on to the food, too.
But outside of the restaurant, Maria and Danielle likes to meet up with friends and, of course, grill out.
Everybody asks me that all the time.
Well, I heard somebody saying the reason why Denmark is the happiest place on Earth is because our expectations are so low And so I don't know, it's a tough question, but when you say low expectations, I think the difference is that we may not be as interested in getting a big house, a big car.
It's more about that you're happy on the inside.
And as opposed to here, it's tough because you live around people that have a huge amount of money, and you spend a lot, a lot of time and effort, maybe pursuing something that is not very important.
So this is the ball.
Wow.
I believe when you my country met on that day, they were playing with Puma.
So we're going to kind of like a rein...reenact?
That's not going to be good for you.
I know.
But here's the deal.
If we play and I break my legs, I want you to call my wife and tell her, not me.
You need to call her and you say it's your fault.
It's going to be a foul.
It's going to be a foul.
Okay.
You're probably going to try to escape and score And im going to go behind you like Uraguay does and make it look like an accident.
Yeah.
I don't think I've touched the soccer ball in 25 years.
I'm either going to score some goals or break my legs.
I'm not sure..We are in the process of getting the fire going and it will take about 30 minutes.
So should we play some soccer?
While were waiting for this, why dont we don't do that.
Okay.
You want to?
I came with an empty stomach prepared to eat.
But a surprise soccer match seems a little bit like an ambush a 50 something chef versus a Uruguayan soccer star.
There's actually a lot on the line for me personally.
And for Denmark I guess.
Since I arrived in the kitchen yesterday, I've joked with Daniel about 1986 matchup in which Denmark surprised the world and beat Uraguay in a major upset.
Any suggestions at all?
I mean, what do you think so far?
Please let Denmark Win the soccer game against Uraguay next time I'm going to have to make a phone call.
I now fear that all my taunting soon will come back to me.
Oh, we got enough.
Good, move.
I have to congratulate you.
Well, after 20 years, you've did pretty good.
I did.
You did indeed.
I'm out of breath.
Oh, me too.
I run a lot more than you do, a few miles.
But you did great.
Thank you.. For a person who hasn't touch a ball in 20 years.
I can tell that you did play.. Well, thank you.
Absolutely.
A pleasure.
Im not going to bring up the whole Uraguay Denmark I know.
I try to erase it from my memory, but.. Oh, my God.
The grass is high and it's wet and it's heavy.
Yeah, the ball don't roll .
( chatter) (laughing) I wanna see you guys play!
Maybe the new soccer team in St. Louis is watching us.
Are you thinking we got a chance?
Maybe.
People are actually shaking right now.
I could always be the 12 th.
Man.
Yeah!
13 th?
I would be happy if I sit on the bench.
I'll be proud.
Thats it.
Me too.
I can tell you got some moves.
You're just tight.
It's been 20 years.
It was the reenactment of the two games between Uraguay and Denmark Our version, our version.
Okay, so there was no clear winner or loser.
And I'm pretty sure the new St. Louis soccer team won't be trying to draft me, but in my defense, the field was very wet, and I had to borrow my producer's shoes to play in.
And it's been about 30 years since I played, but it was still worth the possible injuries.
We're trying to duplicate more or less what we do in our country, putting all the meat together and start cooking.
My doctor keeps telling me I have to eat healthier and exercise.
So today it's a good day.
It's a good day.
I exercise, and I'm about to eat healthy.
That's it, your following the doctors instruction.
Yeah, exactly.
You all want to come over here.
Yes.
See, that's how long I've been in the Midwest.
You all?!
What is going on!
The food is ready.
My blood is pumping from the soccer match, and everyone is in great spirits without even having the first bite.
I'm grateful to be here.
Laughter, new friends and conversations is the kind of ingredients that makes the meal worth more than just salt and flour.
Yes, this cold is, you know the weather might not be the best, but here, People make you feel like, really welcome.
Really awesome.
You don't have this in another place.
I mean, not in Ecuador, not United States, not in Miami, not in New York.
Basically what you're saying we can all agree that St. Louis is the best city in America.
I agree.
Here's that.
Cheers to that!
Skol.
Skol.
Your husband he has had three names while I've been with you.
Freddy,.. Freddy, Danielle and Poppy.
So which one is the one that I should be calling you?
Poppy!
(laughter) I don't think you're old enough to be my poppy.
No.
When she's mad she call me Freddy.
Yeah Yeah, yeah When she's mad at me for any reason or whatever she says Freddy!
which is more When she is more like um,.. nice.
Nice When she has some feelings for me.
Yeah, that's when you're in trouble.
She called me Danielle.
When you're in trouble, when I'm in trouble, Freddy.
Okay.
When she's in love loving me again, she call me Danielle.
And when romantically, she call me Poppy.
I see.
By the name.
I know how she's feeling.
(Laughter) Can I have a little more sweet bread?
Yes, you can Chef.
Okay.
It is so good.
It is the best chimichuri I've ever had.
It is so good.
Fantastic.
I don't know how you do it, but you do it well.
I taught her how to do it.
I fixed his recipe.
Yeah, it's kind of true.
It's totally true.
I give her the basis.
Did you call him Poppy when you took the recipe from him?
Yes I did!
(laughing) I really enjoyed playing soccer.
I can't believe it's been so many years.
It was a lot of fun.
That was a perfect scenario for a slide tackle, I wanted to slide tackle you But when you were running, I want to go behind you Hit the ball from you but You see, you didn't.
You didn't have to do that.
I slide tackled myself.
And that's why I'm sitting on this wet cheek over here.
This is just the beginning of a good friendship.
I know it Yes please Yeah, absolutely.
And we need to do that exercise more often.
And if Uraguay ever wins over Denmark, don't call me.
I will call you directly on the same day.
Block him!
(laughter) I've been lucky to meet good, genuine friends like Maria and Freddie.
Uhh, Danielle.
I mean, it's great to know that you can get authentic Ecuadorian and Uruguayan food here in St Louis but it's even better to be friends with the one who makes it lucky for us.
The combinations of their tastes makes for a well rounded restaurant menu.
I hope I'm part of your new family that you were talking about because I really want a lot of crab shrimp, blood sausages, and sweet breads in my life.
You are!
Thank you for having us.
Food is love!
Food is love!
I found that no matter how good the meal is, it can be made even better when it's with the right people and to hear how their journey has led them to St. Louis It's another example of how many beautiful stories make up the fabric of this city and how they're all different But the same.
Danielle is obviously a grill master, and Maria knows her way to anybody's heart with her food.
It's a match made in surf and turf heaven.
who had thought that you can taste the influences of Ecuador and Uraguay in one restaurant, let alone in Maplewood.
But it's true.
This is a Latin American Ceviche with popcorn.
So you never know when you may find me haunting the bar or slipping into the kitchen at Asador Del Sur eating Langoustines and sweetbrl until I'm eventually asked to l. Or until Uraguay beats Denmark in a real match.
Food is love.
Hey, foodies.
want to try all the great food and restaurants you've seen on Food is Love.
Head on over to FoodisLove.TV to map the locations of restaurants from your favorite episode, check out what's coming up, leave Chef Lasse a message, or start your own culinary journey around the Lou.
Find it all now at FoodisLove.TV Support for Food is Love is provided by Wild Alaska Salmon and Seafood 100% fisherman family owned independent seafood sourcing.
Catching, processing and delived directly to the consumer's fronr From caught to bought wild salmon direct from the fisherman.
Information at WildAlaskaSalmonandSeafood.com.
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