Posted by Ed Levine, July 5, 2009 at 5:45 PM
If, after the long holiday weekend, you've still got coal or propane and the energy to cook out, I've got one last grilling recipe for you. It's from perhaps my favorite grilling book of all time, Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby's The Thrill of the Grill. This grilled pork tenderloin dish features grilled corn kernels glazed with maple syrup that go into a relish featuring three diced slices of your favorite bacon. C'mon, you have to admit it, that sounds seriously delicious. And it is. Praise the lard, serious eaters. Praise the lard.
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Posted by Kerry Saretsky, July 2, 2009 at 5:00 PM
"Poaching eggs are stubborn creatures; they go their own way as they please. But if you just take a spoon, and turn them about a bit, confuse them, then you are in control. Just like with a man. Now, they are trained and obedient, and all the more beautiful for it."
Lessons from a French Chef
Kerry had a little lamb.
But if it had been up to Mémé, I would have had a lot more.
Here in Paris, at cooking school, a chef told me this week to treat my food by its characteristics. Such a statement might seem vague and pedantic, especially when it was barked in French over the roar of ten boiling stoves. But Chef (who told me to be sure and write about him as soon as possible) approached my stove, and stood behind me as I successfully battered and broke another poaching egg.
“Kerry, Kerry!” he purred my name as the r’s rolled up from his throat like the bubbles rising in my simmering pot. I know he’s supposed to be a figure of authority, but that pronunciation reminds me of nothing but home, and the tears that began to surface in my eyes could have resulted from the drenching heat, the frustration of the damn egg, or just violent homesickness. No matter many how many times you turn your cutting board over in the kitchen, some emotional cross-contamination cannot be helped.
“Imagines que les oeufs sont les hommes.” Imagine that eggs are men. And then he said something that made me stop dead where I was. He opened his mouth, and murmured a phrase that Maman has been muttering to me with great unsuccess for the last fifteen years: “Les hommes sont comme les chiens. Il faut les traîner.” Men are like dogs. They must be trained.
He went on to tell me that poaching eggs are stubborn creatures; they go their own way as they please. But if you just take a spoon, and turn them about a bit, confuse them, then you are in control. Just like with a man. Now, they are trained and obedient, and all the more beautiful for it. Many of the students are offended by the French chefs’ constant parallels between food and gender-based metaphor, but I think there is something lovely and touching in the French way of confronting the basic differences between the sexes, and embracing them, laughing at them, admiring them, and extolling them. I used to think Maman was terrible to call men dogs. Now, I’m beginning to understand. They like it!
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, June 26, 2009 at 7:30 PM
Each week Joshua Bousel drops by with a recipe for you to grill over the weekend. Fire it up, Joshua!
I have yet to jump on the banh mi bandwagon, but my fiancée has been all over them. She's been singing the praises of the banh mi so much, that I felt it was my obligation to try them, so we can we ride this food craze together.
Having made a Vietnamese grilled pork not too long ago, I was looking for a different filling option. I came across this recipe for Vietnamese grilled meatballs that was just calling to me. I loved that this recipe had me mixing pork fat and sliced pork loin together in a food processor, along with the flavors I loved so much from my previous Vietnamese venture. This produced a very pleasing, fine-textured meatball with the great taste I was expecting—but the meatball wasn't what I set out to experience.
When I added these already delectable meatballs to a baguette, and stuffed in some pickled carrots and daikons along with a big bunch of cliantro, it was like being in flavor nirvana. The vegetables added a crunch and acidity that matched perfectly with the fish sauce flavored meat; and throw that much cilantro on anything, and I'm sold. Since I was the newbie, I had to turn to my fiancée and ask if these were the correct flavors of the banh mis she loves so much—to which she gave a big nod of approval, then promptly got up to fix herself a second sandwich.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, June 19, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Each week Joshua Bousel drops by with a recipe for you to grill over the weekend. Fire it up, Joshua!
I'm a man of tradition. After adding meat grinding and sausage stuffing capabilities to my kitchen, a chicken-apple was the first type of sausage I made for my friend's first annual grilling birthday bash in Prospect Park. Ever since then, my friend has kept up her spring birthday picnic, and I've kept churning out a different chicken sausage each year, and now it doesn't feel like spring until this tradition has been fulfilled.
This year, however, was extra-special—my friend emerged from the long winter as both a doctor and carnivore, able to enjoy the chicken sausage with basil and tomato I cooked up. Although I had initial doubts about the rather small ratio of tomatoes and basil to the massive amounts of chicken, all the flavors came through perfectly in the end, making this fresh-tasting sausage a perfect fit for the beautiful spring party in the park.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, June 12, 2009 at 7:00 PM
I don't feel the need to gussy up asparagus on the grill; just a little olive oil, salt, and pepper is all you need to make them delicious. But every once in a while, I have the desire to go all fancy-pants with these green spears of goodness, and one of those moments hit me this past weekend.
I really didn't do too much differently. Instead of salt, I wrapped each thick spear in a slice of prosciutto. Then after the asparagus came off the grill, I hit them with some lemon and lemon zest. These two simple variations lifted the asparagus from a common grilled veggie into the realm of greatness. The prosciutto, although slightly overpowering, delivered the salty with a nice touch of ham, and the lemon freshened it all up with a tang that lingered pleasantly on the tongue.
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Posted by Tara Mataraza Desmond, June 9, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Note: Philadelphia food writers Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond drop by each week with Meat Lite, which celebrates meat in moderation. Meat Lite was inspired by their book, Almost Meatless.
If you doubt the merits of a stand-alone recipe for a sauce, consider this: In classical kitchens, the job of one guy is whipping up killer sauces. That's it. Sauce. One part of a complete dish.
And next time you're at the supermarket or one of those high-end gourmet shops, wander down the condiment (aka sauce) aisle for a reminder of the importance our palates place on the stuff we slather on top, underneath, or on the side of what we eat.
This is serious business.
This particular sauce is made for serious summer food cooked over open fires. It's sweet and smoky and a natural fit for grilled meats or in place of ketchup on your burgers and dogs. But the sauce is especially perfect for nonmeat ingredients on a meat lite grilling or barbecue menu. Roll your vegetable and tofu skewers in it before they hit the hot grates. Brush giant portobellos with plenty of it for meaty mushrooms with a hint of bacony flavor. Marinate thick slabs of summer squash in it for deep, rich dimension you thought you could only get from a ribeye.
There will be nary a zucchini left for bread baking if there's a grill and slather sauce in sight.
Try your hand at making your own barbecue sauce, like this one, and you'll fancy yourself a saucier fast, abandoning the bottled stuff forever.
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Posted by Kristen Swensson, June 8, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Note: On Mondays, Kristen Swensson of Cheap, Healthy, Good swings by these parts to share healthy and delicious recipes with us. Take it away, Kristen!
When you’re attempting to cook healthfully and inexpensively in the summer, odds are zucchini will make frequent appearances. Plentiful, subtly flavored, and more versatile than Meryl Streep, the summer squash can be altered dozens of different ways for dang near any dish. Curried soup and ratatouille are among my favorites, but I’ll also take it in pastas, casseroles, breads, or grilled on its own.
Recently though, I’ve found zucchini—especially grilled—goes particularly well with quinoa. Together, they create a solid, sophisticated base for other stronger flavors. Last week’s Healthy and Delicious recipe was an example of this, mixing the ingredients with lime, cilantro, and avocado for a delicate grain salad. This week, we used cannellini beans, tomatoes, toasted almonds, and Parmesan to make a heartier main course.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, June 5, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Each week Joshua Bousel drops by with a recipe for you to grill over the weekend. Fire it up, Joshua!
I'm going out on a limb here, because this is technically not barbecue, or grilling. But there are few other sides so ubiquitous with both as barbecue beans. Although tastes vary widely across the nation, I can't think of a barbecue joint I've been that has not had beans on their menu, and it's also, rightfully, one of the most frequent sides cooked up in my house.
It's hard for me to fire up the smoker without making a batch of these beans—especially since I can just throw them in with whatever is smoking and let them cook, low and slow, until the perfect balance of flavor and tenderness is achieved. It takes a good six hours or so for this to happen, but patience is well rewarded, with a deeply sweet and meaty tasting bean that has just the right touch of heat to balance it all out.
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Posted by Kristen Swensson, June 1, 2009 at 11:40 AM
From the tiniest two-person barbecue to the most massive of community cookouts, grill season hath officially begun, folks. And while burgers and dogs may abound, it’s important not to forget our beloved vegetables. They’re healthier, cheaper, and much less likely to stain your shorts when they fall from your flimsy-ass paper plate.
This year, I inaugurated the season with Quinoa and Grilled Zucchini, a lovely, mellow grain salad from the ever-gorgeous 101 Cookbooks. The recipe combines eggs, pine nuts, goat cheese, and a subtle avocado-cilantro dressing to tasty effect, and includes a large helping of flame-broiled summer squash for texture and a char-tinged flavor. Plus, it’s not half as hard to assemble as it looks. Trust.
I did alter Heidi Swanson’s original recipe a bit to lighten the caloric load. Changes included halving the pine nuts, taking out the egg yolks, reducing the olive oil to a single tablespoon, and swapping in low-fat yogurt for the full-fat kind. All in all, it was good stuff, and those switches are reflected below.
Happy grilling season, everybody! And remember—eat your veggies.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, May 29, 2009 at 7:45 PM
Grilling potatoes is no easy feat. Larger potatoes I sometimes will boil first to avoid charring the outside while waiting for the middle to cook, and the smaller, new potatoes I'll cook over a two zone fire, browning them over direct heat, then moving them to the cool side of the grill to finish up. Even with practice, I often find potatoes a challenge.
Case in point, I was grilling a batch of halved new potatoes for a salad recently using the two zone method. I waited to grill them until the fire burned down to medium, but even then the spuds started to char before I could move them all over to the cool side of the grill. Luckily, the charring wasn't deep, and with the strong vinaigrette and a squeeze of lemon that dressed the salad, they didn't taste off at all. Quite the opposite actually, the light char gave the salad a unique grilled flavor that otherwise may have been lost, and all worries I had of ruining such a beautiful looking salad melted as it slowly disappeared into grateful stomachs during the meal.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, May 23, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Each week Joshua Bousel drops by with a recipe for you to grill over the weekend. Fire it up, Joshua!
Along with lighter fluid, another common grilling sight that pains me to no end is improperly cooked barbecue chicken. I don't know how many burnt pieces of chicken need to be eaten until we realize that barbecue sauce is not a marinade. Cooking barbecue chicken properly is pretty simple, and produces heavenly results.
Since barbecue sauce has a lot of sugars that burn quickly over high heat, the trick to perfect barbecue chicken is grilling over a two-zone fire, and only applying the sauce after the chicken is mostly cooked. First you grill the chicken, covered, over the cool side of the grill until the skin starts to brown and crisp. Then move the chicken closer to the flames, but not directly over them, and start mopping on the sauce. This will give the chicken time to absorb the flavors of the sauce without it burning. Then, which the chicken is almost completely done, apply a last layer of sauce and move directly over the coals, grilling until the sauce caramelizes, not burns. This juicy chicken has all of the sticky-sweet flavors of the sauce, minus the burnt nastiness that I see way too often on barbecue chicken.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, May 15, 2009 at 8:30 PM
On Fridays, Joshua Bousel drops by with a recipe for you to grill over the weekend. Fire it up, Joshua!
Although I love barbecue sauces of all types, the standard around my house is still the tomato-based variety that's ingrained in our collective American consciousness. While choices of sauce abound at any local megamart, I've yet to find one that rivals making my own from scratch.
This basic sauce base takes about 15 minutes to make from start to finish and consists of ingredients that are almost always on hand in my kitchen. Knowing the ease of making homemade and the quality of the end product, I cannot comprehend why bottled sauces are so popular, especially since this standard base is merely a launching point for infinite varieties.
I'll make a huge batch at the beginning of the season and continue to modify it in smaller batches with new flavors. Adding some sautéed onions adds a nice robustness, throw in some jalapeños to give it a kick, pineapple juice for a tropical sweetness, and so on. With so much opportunity for experimentation, all of which probably yield better results than those supermarket bottles, I hope you'll make the switch to homemade barbecue sauce, if you haven't already.
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Posted by Andrea Lynn, May 14, 2009 at 11:00 AM
Editor's note: On Thursdays, Andrea Lynn, associate editor of Chile Pepper Magazine drops by with Serious Heat.
I grew up loving canned baked beans, which my younger siblings affectionately referred to as “sweet beans.” Due to whatever reason, for many years it had never occurred to me to make them from scratch. Until Julia Child, that is. Her 16-hour baked beans are outstanding but sometimes I just don't have 16 hours to dedicate to the bean-making process. So I assumed I couldn’t make good, homemade baked beans without the massive process. That was, until Chile Pepper columnist Elizabeth Karmel’s recipe in our May issue, where I learned that baked beans can be made in a lot less time and still be almost as good as Julia's. Adapted from barbecue king Mike Mills, the recipe incorporates a variety of beans from kidney to navy to lima. The different bean sizes and textures make for a delicious assortment.
Canned pork and beans start things off right and the recipe also gets a kick of spice from Mills’ Magic Dust, a blend of zesty spices that doubles as a rub for ribs. Strips of bacon are the crowning glory of the dish. I mixed them into the beans when serving, and loved the reaction of my guests when they fished out an entire strip of bacon.
These spiced baked beans is a must-have accompaniment to barbecue or any other zesty outdoor food. I even enjoy a throwback to my childhood with hot dog slices in the beans. This recipe is a great way to get the glory without all the work.
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Posted by Tara Mataraza Desmond, May 12, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Editor's note: Philadelphia food writers Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond drop by each week with Meat Lite, which celebrates meat in moderation. Meat Lite was inspired by their book, Almost Meatless.
This is a cross between crispy flatbread and chewy pizza with extra flavor from the char of the grill. If you don’t have access to a grill, bake the dough in the oven as you would any other pizza. The topping is packed with flavor from just four ounces of turkey sausage and mushrooms spiked with a splash of malt vinegar for a bright, buttery lift.
Spring onions caramelize with the mushrooms underneath the sausage, and chives perk up the deep, earthy topping along with tangy goat cheese. The mushrooms and sausage can be roasted up to three days ahead and warmed through before adding to the grilled dough.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, May 8, 2009 at 8:00 PM
On Fridays, Joshua Bousel drops by with a recipe for you to grill over the weekend. Fire it up, Joshua!
Portobellos were the mushrooms I first tried when I decided to try and conquer my 'shroom aversion years ago, with my fiancée telling me they're just like a steak. For someone who loved steak and hated mushrooms, this was possibly the furthest thing from the truth. Although I still don't think I'll ever choose a portobello burger over a real burger, mushrooms have found their way into my regular diet and grilling is one of my favorite ways of preparing them.
I decided to try a grilled stuffed portobello for dinner this week, making the mushrooms an entire meal. Spinach was mixed with Boursin cheese to create a filling worthy to be a dip on its own. The mushrooms where then stuffed and grilled over indirect heat for twenty minutes and eaten right away.
The spinach and cheese provided most of the flavor, with the mushroom providing an earthy undertone and vehicle to get the filling from plate to mouth. Although you can't go wrong with this tasty, simple combination, it was definitely more of an appetizer than meal, leaving me and my fiancée grilling hot dogs over the remaining heat to add some real meat to go with our "steaks."
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Posted by Caroline Russock, May 7, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Be aware, this recipe for brisket adapted from Serious Barbecue by Adam Perry Lang is an all day endeavor. But rest assured that the hours of cooking at a low temperature, spraying, rubbing, seasoning and basting will be well worth the effort. The brisket will end up charred and crusty on the outside and tender in the center with a glowing pink smoke ring that is the tell-tale sign of good barbecue.
Why is it called "Get a Book" Brisket? Because you are going to need something to occupy yourself during the cooking process. It might as well be called "Get a Bunch of Friends, Some Snacks and a Few Cases of Beer Brisket." The time commitment makes this brisket a great centerpiece for an all day cook out with good friends and family.
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Posted by Caroline Russock, May 6, 2009 at 5:00 PM
The following recipe is from the May 6 edition of our weekly recipe newsletter. To receive this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here!
No subject will fire up a debate quicker than the topic of barbecue (pun intended). The varieties go on and on—North Carolina, Memphis or Texas, beef versus pork, vinegar, mustard or tomato based sauces—but it all comes down to three important factors: the meat, the heat and the flavoring components. However, any serious barbecuer knows that the best barbecue sauce is the one that you make yourself, and everyone has their own secret ingredients. I'll let you in on the secret ingredients in my sauce (which is pretty great): British all-purpose HP Sauce and a dollop of sriracha. It's an unlikely combination but it does the trick.
Adam Perry Lang knows a thing or two about barbecue and has spent years perfecting his ultimate barbecue sauce recipe. APL BBQ Sauce from Serious Barbecue starts with the classic combination of ketchup, mustard, and vinegar, and adds grated apple and apricot preserves for sweetness. This recipe is meant to be used as a base, so feel free to add your own secret ingredients.
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Posted by Caroline Russock, May 6, 2009 at 1:15 PM
What could be easier than barbecued chicken? Just brush some sauce on pieces of chicken and throw them onto the grill, done. Well, if you have ever had truly transcendent barbecued chicken, you know that it's not that easy. Grill masters like Adam Perry Lang know that a bottle of store-bought sauce and a package of chicken thighs are not the only ingredients that go into competition worthy barbecued chicken.
Adam Perry Lang's Competition Chicken Thigh Recipe from Serious Barbecue takes a multilayered approach to flavoring the chicken. First it is marinated, then rubbed with a seasoning blend, and finally basted with a homemade barbecue sauce. It might be an involved process but the chicken thighs will emerge from the grill beautifully lacquered and award winningly delicious.
Just a quick note, if you aren't a pro griller and don't have the ceramic cooker called for in this recipe, don't worry. You can place the thighs in aluminum pans and cook them on top of your grill.
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As always with our Cook the Book feature, we have five (5) copies of Serious Barbecue to give away this week. Enter to win here »
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Posted by Caroline Russock, May 5, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Few foods conjure up fond memories of summers past like grilled corn on the cob. Sweet, perfect, and only available for a few summer months, from barbecues to clam bakes, no outdoor cooking event is complete without a few ears of corn. Everyone knows that corn is fantastic served simply with a slather of butter and some salt but it can also be turned into something sublime with a few simple additions. A sprinkle of Old Bay or a squeeze of lime juice and a dusting of chili powder are just some ideas.
Adam Perry Lang's time spent cooking in New Mexico inspired him to leave the world of fancy French restaurants to pursue a career in barbecue. This recipe for Grilled Corn on the Cob from Serious Barbecue uses a Southwestern cilantro pesto to spice up grilled ears of corn. Leaving the corn in its husk ensures that the corn will stay sweet and juicy throughout the cooking process.
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Posted by Caroline Russock, May 4, 2009 at 2:44 PM
Photograph by Jennifer Maiser
Over the past few years grilled vegetables have become a barbecue staple. Bell peppers, onions, artichokes, tomatoes and eggplant, charred and tossed with some olive oil, salt and pepper are becoming rivals to classic summer sides like potato salad cole slaw. They are quick, easy and pretty healthy but is it just me or are they a little, well, boring?
This recipe for Artichokes Basted with Anchovy Butter from Adam Perry Lang's Serious Barbecue takes already delicious grilled summer artichokes a step further with the addition of anchovy garlic butter. Not everyone loves anchovies but they are excellent for adding a super savory depth of flavor and the end result is not at all fishy.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, May 1, 2009 at 9:00 PM
Editor's note: On Fridays, Joshua Bousel drops by with a recipe for you to grill over the weekend. Fire it up, Joshua!
My recent failure at grilling stuffed peppers left a lingering desire for some that could fulfill my craving. Armed with my knowledge of does not work, I've been on the lookout for a recipe that would ensure success. I came across this one for stuffed poblanos that looked like it would fit the bill while hunting for Cinco de Mayo eats.
Luckily, my instincts were correct this time around. Undercooked rice absorbs the excess moisture from the beans, sour cream, cotija cheese, tomatoes, and scallions, forming a cohesive filling when cooked that has a pleasing, creamy texture. The cheesy filling also has plays nicely with the fruity poblano, which loses what little heat it had during cooking. These have now eased my hankering stuffed peppers, and will also make a great addition to my upcoming fiesta menu.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, May 1, 2009 at 4:30 PM
I had a whole heap of miso, thanks to a recent infatuation with miso soup. But one cannot subsist on miso soup alone. What else was I supposed to do with the stuff? At the Asian market I had also picked up some fine-looking flank steak, not because I had any ideas, but because it was incredibly cheap. It never really cross my mind that I could combine the two until my wife pointed out this recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini.
The glaze is a mixture of regular Asian pantry staples and a whole heap of miso. It couldn't be much simpler. Just mix together the marinade, and toss the meat in for a quick dip. She recommends only 30 minutes, though a few hours would probably make it even better. The former worked fine for me. Then it's just tossed on a hot grill or iron skillet and cooked to desired doneness. The outside of the meat becomes slightly sweet and highly aromatic. It's a nice way to dress up a cheap cut.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, April 24, 2009 at 8:00 PM
With the amount of Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes I've served up here, it should come as no surprise that Cinco de Mayo is probably my favorite cooking holiday. I start trying out party menu items weeks in advance, taking every opportunity to whip up some fine Mexican foods. Of course no Cinco de Mayo affair would be complete without salsa, and my current favorite is Rick Bayless's roasted tomatillo salsa.
Although the original recipe has the tomatillos cooked stovetop in a skillet, it's easily adaptable to the grill, and I actually find it cleaner and easier to make this over the flames. I grill tomatillo halves until they're completely soft, then pulse them together with some garlic, chiles, cilantro, and water. After adding in chopped onion, I adjust the seasoning with sugar and salt, and so quickly a beautiful and fresh salsa with a complex mix of tart, sweet, and spicy is ready to go. I always make a double recipe of this, because I usually finish a single myself before anyone else even gets a chance at it.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, April 17, 2009 at 8:00 PM
When I first move to the big city, I was a total food hermit, I would hardly ever eat anything outside of my comfort zone. Luckily, I've come out of my shell, but 12 years ago, when my future college roommate forced me to try his native Vietnamese cuisine, the only thing I would order off the menu was barbecue beef, which I enjoyed so much that it's still a mainstay for me at Vietnamese restaurants.
Prowling the food blogs last week, I came across this recipe for a Vietnamese grilled pork that looked very similar to my beloved bbq beef. I tried it out over the weekend and the flavors were spot on, it was so good that a serving for four was devoured by two in no time. As I was chomping my way through the delicious bowl, I was thinking about how the warm pork, mixed with the crisp lettuce and cool noodles would be perfect the meal on a warm summer day, so it's sure to find its way to grill again when the seasons change, if I can even wait that long.
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Posted by Caroline Russock, April 14, 2009 at 12:45 PM
These country ribs from The Asian Grill are marinated in hoisin sauce, which gives them a distinctly savory flavor emphasized by the smoky notes from the grill. Corinne Trang chooses boneless country style ribs because they have a high meat-to-fat ratio and are naturally juicy and sweet.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, March 30, 2009 at 5:30 PM
I'm still new to this whole Korean barbecue world, but my first foray into the cuisine amazed me. It was kalbi (or galbi), and it has you take thinly sliced short ribs (one of the toughest, fattiest cuts on the steer), marinate them for a few hours, and cook them quickly over high heat. This is a miraculous use of an ingredient that previously I'd only braised for hours on end.
This version of bulgogi that I adapted from Epicurious uses thinly sliced rib-eye or sirloin, and it's even faster than the method above. These get a quick, 30-minute dip in a flavorful marinade—and then it's on the grill and off in a matter of minutes. It doesn't get much simpler.
What you decide to pair the meat with could take longer. I like the idea of wrapping it in lettuce with a little rice. Bibb works best, but the romaine I had on hand wasn't awful. Some kimchi, of course, wouldn't hurt. Neither would a hit of the spicy bean paste. Of course, you could just stuff it into your mouth with a fork if all of this construction is taking too much time.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, March 27, 2009 at 7:45 PM
With a big move happening this weekend, and my kitchen all packed up, I wanted to make sure there was some food that didn't require the use of utensils during the endless hours of packing. Along with some leftover tzatziki, another dip with chips seemed to fit the bill, and a recipe for a roasted onion and garlic dip jumped out at me while flipping through my cookbooks as they went into boxes.
I'm a sucker for grilled onions—I love the mix of sweet, caramelized outsides, with a bit of crunch still left in the middle. This recipe called for an onion grilling method that was new to me: wrapping onion halves and garlic into foil, then nestling them directly in the coals. After 30 minutes I removed the packet, and awaiting me when I opened it were beautifully browned onions that had my mouth watering already.
The onions and garlic then took a quick spin in the food processor with some standard dip ingredients, after which I took a taste with pitas that I grilled while waiting for the onions to cool. It was good, but to my dismay, the rich onion flavor that I was expecting was little subdued. So I stuck the dip in the fridge and went back to it the next day. Overnight it transformed into the perfect balance between onions and garlic, while mixing subtly with the remaining ingredients. It has now served its purpose of keeping me happily sustained for a week without a kitchen.
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Posted by Grace Kang, March 24, 2009 at 2:30 PM
From the Pickup Sticks (aka stuff on sticks) category in Ten comes a grilled tomato bread salad great for a warm, sunny day.
Essentially panzanella grilled on a stick, it's a nice alternative to the typical meatfest buffet at barbecues. Finger-friendly and bite-sized, "kebabs are just plain fun," says Ten's author, Sheila Lukins.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, March 20, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Out of all the Greek establishments in my neighborhood, my absolute favorite gyro and souvlaki joint is BZ Grill in Astoria, only two short blocks away. The proximity has left me little reason to cook the staples at home, but with a looming move that will find me farther away from these beloved pita sandwiches and platters, I realized that I had some learning to do in the kitchen.
I never really thought about the ingredients inside a souvlaki marinade before; I just knew that the meat always tasted bright and fresh. So I scoured souvlaki recipes and came up with a formula that I thought would best replicate the flavors I'm used to. After letting cubes of pork loin marinate overnight in a mixture of olive oil, red onion, garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, and Greek oregano, I skewered and grilled them off.
The pork was everything I imagined it would be—the lemon juice gave it a nice tang and the mixture of onion, garlic, and oregano made it taste distinctly Greek. The souvlaki just wouldn't have been complete to me unless there was pita and tzatziki nearby, so while the pork was resting off the grill, I heated up some pita, adding a dollop of tzatziki to the plate, and found comfort in knowing that even though I'll miss my around-the-corner souvlaki haunt, a fitting replica is only as far as my backyard.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, March 13, 2009 at 7:00 PM
About every other year, just out of nowhere, I get a sudden urge to make stuffed peppers. This desire took hold over the weekend, and instead of cooking up the usual ground meat and rice mixture, I opted to grill a sausage and zucchini variety.
While a standard stuffed pepper recipe would call for the meat to be cooked before stuffing, this particular one had me make a mixture of sweet Italian sausage, zucchini, red onion, breadcrumbs, egg, and rosemary to fill the red peppers. The combo of raw meat and zucchini ended up being a fatal flaw, as the innards became a watery mess that tasted mostly like boiled sausage—not good eats. Beyond that, the sausage-to-zucchini-to-breadcrumb ratio was not in harmony, allowing the sausage to dominate all the other flavors, resulting in a very heavy meal that did not sit easy in the stomach.
Needless to say, this did not end up fulfilling my stuffed pepper craving, so it probably won't be long until I'm out grilling more, but in a more traditional manner next time.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, March 6, 2009 at 8:00 PM
Unless it's truly necessary, I don't usually mix cooking methods when grilling. When I want to grill something, I want to be grill-side, cooking it from start to finish. Since I'm doing more grilling indoors at the moment, I figured all bets were off and have opened up to combination methods. This recipe by Mark Bittman for twice-cooked mock tandoori chicken seemed particularly enticing.
The method ended up being better in theory than in practice. Chicken legs and thighs were first covered with an Indian-spiced yogurt mixture and braised in the oven for an hour and a half. After that, they were brought over high heat on the grill until browned and slightly dried-out.
Unfortunately, the braising softened the chicken so much, it just fell apart on the grill. Once the chicken was finished, I was mostly pulling off empty bones. Luckily, I was making this indoors, and all those pieces that fell off still made it to the plate. On a real grill, though, they would have surely been claimed by the coals. What did come off, however, was deliciously spiced and tender, although not quite as flavorful as the initial aromas of the braise led me to believe.
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Posted by The Serious Eats Team, February 28, 2009 at 12:00 PM
- serves 4 -
These Grilled Pork Burgers with Molasses Barbecue Sauce are adapted from Burgers Every Way by Emily Haft Bloom. They can be broiled in the oven if it's too cold outside to fire up the grill. The author also suggests trying different types of sausages and add-ins, such as garlic, in the burgers to boost flavor. The sauce has a "rich, intensely sweet taste" that is good paired with pork.
Ingredients
5 strips thick-cut bacon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 small Hungarian wax peppers (also known as banana peppers) or other mild chili peppers, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon lemon pepper
1/2 pound spicy pork sausages
1/4 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Procedure
1. Cook the bacon and garlic in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. When the bacon is about halfway done, add the chopped pepper and saute until soft, about 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin and lemon pepper and cook for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Pour off, then discard the bacon drippings. Pour the contents of the pan into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until the bacon and peppers are finely chopped.
2. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high. Split the sausage casings with a knife and crumble contents in a large bowl. Add the ground pork then add half the bacon-pepper mixture, and using your hands or a wooden spoon, mix until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Form into 4 burgers of equal size. Grill or broil the burgers, flipping once, brushing the cooked side with 1 tablespoon of the barbecue sauce until the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes on each side. While the burgers are cooking, mix the remaining bacon-pepper mixture with the mayonnaise. Serve the burgers on corn bread or onion rolls, topped with the warm Molasses Barbecue Sauce, found after the jump.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, February 27, 2009 at 6:30 PM
With the onset of a warm spell, my thoughts had wandered to more summer-like fare, but a resurgence of the blistering cold has me back in total comfort mode.
Roast chicken has been my crutch to get me through this winter, but as an admitted cold-wuss, I wanted to be able to grill a chicken while minimizing my outdoor time. So instead of roasting a chicken on the grill, I opted to butterfly it, spread an herb butter under the skin, and cook it directly over the flames, making the total cooking time for a whole chicken about 25 minutes.
The high heat produced a crispy skin (although slightly charred in parts), while the herb butter kept the bird moist and flavorful, creating a fast alternative to a true roast chicken on the grill that's on par with the real deal.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, February 20, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Continuing on my rolling trend, I decided to take this method to some vegetables. I saw a photo a couple years ago of grilled eggplant rolled with goat cheese, and it has been in the back of my mind ever since. A quick search produced a delicious sounding recipe, and then it was off to grill.
After salting and washing eggplant slices, they were grilled, sprinkled with chives and thyme, then drizzled with balsamic vinegar. The recipe says this part can be done up to three days in advance, which makes these as an excellent make-ahead option, but they looked so good, there was no way I was waiting that long. The final step is to spread some goat cheese on the eggplant and roll 'em up.
The sharp goat cheese melted on the tongue perfectly with the creamy eggplant, and the herbs and vinegar added a robust flavor. Although it all worked excellent together, I have an inclination that an herb goat cheese would heighten the flavor even more, which adds another roll-up on my to-grill-again list.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, February 13, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Ever since this summer, I've been on a kick of rolling up my meat roasts with fillings. This method packs flavor throughout the entire roast, instantly creates a cool presentation, and is just fun to make. While browsing Cook's Illustrated last week, I came across a recipe for a grilled pork loin with an apple-cranberry filling that was just begging me to make it.
The recipe started with dried apples and cranberries, simmered in a mixture of apple cider, cider vinegar, and spices that filled the house with the sweet smells of winter warmth. The liquid and solids were then separated, the liquid boiled down to a glaze, and the solids pulsed in a food processor and spread into a butterflied pork loin and rolled up.
The idea was that the mixture seasons and moistens the meat from the inside out while cooking, and while it did achieve the flavor portion quite well, the pork was still a tad on the dry side. The sweet and fruity filling was so well paired with the pork that this recipe will assuredly be gracing my grill again, but to make it totally perfect, I'll probably brine the loin first next time.
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Posted by The Serious Eats Team, February 7, 2009 at 12:00 PM
- makes 4 burgers -
It's a cheese party in your burger! Use your favorites or experiment your way to deliciousness. Adapted from Burgers Every Way, by Emily Haft Bloom.
Ingredients
1 pound ground chuck
1 Vidalia or other sweet onion, chopped 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons grated sharp cheddar
2 tablespoons grated Monterey Jack
2 tablespoons grated Colby
1 thick slice mozzarella, quartered
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Procedure
1. Preheat the broiler or a charcoal or gas grill to medium high.
2. Combine the ground meat, onion, Worcestershire sauce, and the grated cheeses, mixing with your hands so that the ingredients are evenly distributed.
3. Form 8 very thin patties of equal size. Top 4 of the patties with the mozzarella pieces and top those with the other 4 patties.
4. Press the edges to seal in the mozzarella, then lightly spray the burgers with cooking spray. Grill the burgers until cooked through, about 5 minutes each side.
Posted by Joshua Bousel, February 6, 2009 at 5:45 PM
It was four years ago that my now fiancée and I swore off eating out on Valentine's day. The advanced reservations, overpriced pre-fixes, and crowds were more conducive to stress than romance. So Valentine's has become a time for a special home-cooked meal, and when I asked my lady what she might like on the menu this year, like any good Texan, she promptly replied, "Steak!" I don't want to be flying blind when the big day comes, so I've been trying out various steak recipes in preparation, including this Korean-style one.
Mixing the fiancée's request with a relatively quick meal—allowing me to spend more time with her than in the kitchen—this seemed like an appropriate choice. The steaks go into a soy sauce and sherry based marinade for an hour, which gives me ample time to make the spicy cilantro sauce topper. After a short time on the grill over high heat, the steaks are sliced, placed over rice, and topped with the sauce. The cilantro lends a nice freshness to the dish, although the combination of a marinade and spicy sauce overpowers the beefiness of the steaks, at least for this meat aficionado. All-in-all, it's a decent meal. It may not be the final choice for V-day dinner, but it's definitely in the running.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, January 31, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Truth be told, I'm not much of a football fan, but I'll take almost any hours-long, live televised event as an excuse to get my friends together and indulge in my favorite party foods. So even though I'd be hard pressed to even name who's playing in the Super Bowl this Sunday [Um, that would be Pittsburgh and Arizona. —Ed.], I'm eagerly awaiting the big game because it gives me a chance to grill up a batch of stuffed jalapeños, among other things.
Stuffed jalapeños are one of those foods that somehow always causes a reaction way beyond their minimalist recipe. The procedure could hardly be more simply: seed a bunch of jalapeños, stuff with cream cheese (I like adding some cheddar into to mix for mine), top with bacon, and grill or bake for about 30 mins. There's something so right in this combination though. The jalapeños mellow out while cooking, leaving a fruity flavor with only a slight heat that balances out with the cream cheese, and the bacon adds that salty cripsness that brings the whole bite together. These are great hot or at room teperature, making them perfect for setting out, and popping as a long night in front of the television unfolds.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, January 23, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Before the holiday season, I noticed my growing cookbook collection was severely lacking any titles by Mark Bittman. I made it known to friends and family that filling this gap was a priority. Now with the holidays and my birthday behind me, my library is pretty Bittman-heavy. Rummaging through such a bounty of new recipes can be daunting, so I'm taking a methodical approach. My first course of action is to flip to the index of How to Cook Everything and see what grilling treasures lie within.
A recipe for grilled leeks perked my interest as an accompaniment to the Korean-style steaks on my menu. The Bittman recipe called for the leeks to be grilled over high heat until tender, then topped with a fairly standard vinaigrette, but to better fit my dinner, I replaced some of the vinaigrette's ingredients with Asian counterparts.
A mixture of shallots, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, red pepper flakes, Chinese spicy mustard, and olive oil topped my leeks after coming off the grill. Although the flavors fit rather seamlessly into my meal, I piled the vinaigrette on a little too heavily, which overpowered the delicate oniony flavor of the leeks. A mere drizzle, or a simple brush of soy sauce as recommended by Bittman, would have sufficed and made these leeks a perfect side.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, January 9, 2009 at 7:00 PM
I've just returned from another holiday spent deep in the heart of Texas—well not too deep, Houston to be exact. While there, you'll usually find me at Ninfa's on Navigation, enjoying some fajitas with a Mexican coke, finished with sweet sopaipillas, but this year I took advantage of 70 degree sunny days and cooked up my own Tex-Mex feast for my large, soon-to-be family.
Along with tacos al pastor, I grilled a bunch of beautiful Texas skirt steaks for the ubiquitous tacos carne asada. Although I have a recipe for carne asada I'm happy with, I decided to try out this one by Tyler Florence just to change things up. Even though I prefer my tried-and-true version, this recipe produced a decent carne asada, with all the fresh flavors—cilantro, garlic, lime, chile—that I love in Tex-Mex cuisine. Piled with some pico, lettuce, and cheese on top, it all came together to make one excellent taco.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, January 2, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Even with the holidays out of the way, there's no rest in party planning for me with my big 3-0 birthday bash coming up next weekend. Part of my game plan is to make sure I'm free to drink liberally, not tending to cooking or serving as I tend to be at most of my shin-digs. So if I want to sneak in some barbecue or grilling into the festivities, it has to be something that can safely be cooked ahead, which led me to try out these smoked and spiced nuts.
I don't think I'd ever fire up the smoker or grill to just make nuts, but if I have something else going, say a ham or some ribs, these are a good use of the extra heat and smoke, especially if there's a party in my future. The recipe is easy, just take some mixed nuts and toss with a simple spice mixture, then smoke until they're nicely toasted.
I've made roasted nuts a couple times before, but the addition of smoke here gives them a new, robust flavor that will keep me happily munching away as I continue toss back the beers at the start of a new decade of my life.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, December 12, 2008 at 6:30 PM
Another week, another story of over-purchasing. This time the culprit was enchiladas verdes, leaving me with a plethora of excellent Mexican ingredients. On the spur of the moment, while I already had the grill going, I assembled them into quesadilla and took it to the flames.
About a half of my leftover inventory—poblanos, onions, and chorizo—were just calling to be grilled. So those went on first until fully-cooked, then cooled enough until I could safely assemble them between two flour tortillas along with some pepper jack cheese and cilantro. Then a quick grill for the entire thing until the cheese oozed and the tortillas were a crispy brown, after which I topped it off with sour cream and snacked away. This quick meal rivaled the labor-intensive enchiladas from the night before, which had me thinking that maybe some of the best homemade dishes are just hastily conceived endeavors.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, December 12, 2008 at 4:30 PM
This is another one of those "what's in the fridge" meals, but it certainly didn't taste like it. The recipe from Gourmet feels like the best of summer, even though the snow has been covering Chicago for a couple weeks now. It's a perfect mix of the sweet and the heat, and a really easy starter to prepare.
The shrimp are supposed to be cooked on the grill, but I'm not lugging my little grill out in the snow. I just used a grill pan, which worked fine. I'm sure the flames would add another dimension to the dish, so go for it if you happen to live some place that's not below 30 degrees right now. If you do use a grill, Gourmet recommends skewering the shrimp so they don't fall into the fire. Of course, if there is no fire, there is no need to waste your time skewering up the shrimp. Your choice.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, December 5, 2008 at 6:00 PM
With leftovers finally taxed, Thanksgiving withdrawal is rearing its ugly head. If you're anything like me, you may have over bought for the big meal and have more than a few extra ingredients still on hand. If sweet potatoes are on that list, I suggest taking them to the coals next time you fire up your grill for another Thanksgiving fix before 2009.
Roasting sweet potatoes nestled in the coals of a hot fire has to be the easiest, and my favorite, way to cook these tubers. After about an hour in the coals, turned a few time during roasting, they come out with a velvety smooth interior that melts in your mouth. Just a dash of salt is all they really need, but to put those other leftover ingredients to good use, topping them with a maple cinnamon butter can revive the comforting flavors of Thanksgiving, keeping that holiday magic alive.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, November 14, 2008 at 7:00 PM
I was in dire need of a snack before waiting an hour for my butternut squash to grill properly. Luckily I had seen some amazing photos of a Middle Eastern Grilled Cheese on Tony Tahhan's blog recently, which forced me to make sure I had all the ingredients to make it on hand.
The recipe calls for Armenian string cheese to be placed in a pita, then sprinkled with dried mint and drizzled with olive before being grilled. Like almost all grilled cheese, it was quick and delicious, but the simple swapping of ingredients brought a whole new life to this tried-and-true standard, getting me to thinking about what else can be done with the seemingly mundane.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, October 24, 2008 at 6:30 PM
About the author: Joshua Bousel blogs about grilling on his blog, The Meatwave, and appears weekly here on Serious Eats during grilling season.
Carving a pumpkin last week got me thinking about about the possibility of taking one to the grill. Although I stand by my initial thoughts that it would be delicious, the logistics of size and time to take to make it edible were a bit to much, and so I looked to a smaller, more manageable counterpart, the acorn squash.
After halving and gutting the squash, I brushed them with a seasonally appropriate mixture of butter, brown sugar, sage, maple syrup, granulated onion, and salt and pepper. Then they went on the cool side of a two zone fire for an hour—sprinkled with Asiago cheese half way through—until perfectly tender. The resulting squash was creamy and sweet, with just enough nuttiness from the cheese to make it a great savory side for fall grilling.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, October 17, 2008 at 6:30 PM
I've mentioned my love for Filipino cuisine, but it took some time to work my way from dish to dish to develop this fondness. The first delicious item I ever tried that kicked off this journey was Filipino barbecue, a sweet and sticky skewer of grilled pork or chicken.
I rarely leave a Filipino restaurant or family function without having some barbecue, and even though it's so common, it's been a continuous challenge trying to replicate it exactly at home. This recipe first came to me as a list of ingredients—no measurements—from the fiancée's uncle, who is known as the family barbecue chef. I'm still perfecting just the right amount of everything, but I'm proud to say that I've come pretty close, and it grills up a beautiful batch of those glistening sticks of meat.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, October 10, 2008 at 6:45 PM
Last week, my co-workers and I were discussing the perfect thing to grill for Columbus Day. There was no real consensus, with the discussion flowing from all-American to Italian to Spanish, and then someone said, "He didn't even land in America, so you could even go West Indian with this."
That last one got me, and whether or not it represented the holiday, I was fixed on having one thing: Jerk chicken.
There's no better marriage between my love of grilling and my love of spicy foods then Jerk chicken. The recipe starts with 5 habanero chiles, which gives it great kick while still allowing the other prominent flavors (like allspice and thyme) to come through. Since the Jerk marinade will burn over the fire before the chicken finishes cooking, I built a two-zone fire and grilled these directly over the charcoal until browned, then moved them to the cool side and covered until cooked through. The wonderfully spiced and juicy chicken that came off the grill may not arouse any Columbus Day patriotism, but it will provide a nice escape for the three-day weekend.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, October 3, 2008 at 6:30 PM
I was taking a look back at what I've accomplished this grilling season, and through all the fond memories came a horrifying reality: I had failed to cook any lamb! Though totally not intentional, I could not come to grips with this omission and began plotting to get lamb on the grill the next time I fired it up.
When marinating lamb, I try to find flavors that will best complement the rich and bold taste of the meat. It's a trickier task than when using chicken or pork, which just take on the flavor of whatever they're soaked in. The lamb standards of cilantro, garlic, and garam masala all went into this marinade, but it was the raisins that first caught my attention and lifted these kabobs to greatness. They added a slightly sticky sweetness, which worked with the lamb in an incredibly pleasing and unique way. Add some naan into this equation, and you'll have an unbeatable little meal.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, September 26, 2008 at 8:15 PM
It may be a little early in the season to start dolling out the "I'm thankful for's," but there's really isn't a time that we can't be grateful for the porky, fatty cuisine from the Philippines. I owe so much my fiancée; and her family for opening me up to the world of tocino, lumpia, lechon, and adobo—just to name a few. Among all the tasty dishes, I've found a real affinity for the Filipino breakfast meats, one of my favorites being longanisa, a garlic and vinegar-rich pork sausage.
An excellent recipe came my way about a year ago via Marvin over at Burnt Lumpia. Like him, I wanted to create a sausage remnant the ones cooked by my (future) family, and although I'm used to a slightly sweeter version, this recipe pulled it off pretty well.
I usually have longanisa pan-fried alongside a fried egg or garlic fried rice, but they stood up and tasted great on the grill. The heat of the grill added an extra crispness to the casing that first popped in my mouth, then oozed the juicy innards, which brought on these early feelings of thanksgiving.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, September 19, 2008 at 6:45 PM
I was left in a quandary last weekend. My desire to have naan to go along with Indian kabobs on the grill clashed with my fear of bread-making. The battle was ultimately won by necessity. How could you have Indian food without naan?
My relationship with dough is a tumultuous one, and this time around was no different. It took me three tries to accomplish the simple act of proofing yeast. With that hurdle over, the rest of the naan-making went relatively smoothly. A couple hours later, I had 15 pieces of nicely-risen dough that browned beautifully in about one minute per side over the grill's high heat.
Not sure if it was the recipe, or my inexperience with bread, but this wasn't quite the naan I'm used to having in restaurants. It was still great in its own right—buttery and crisp, with the right amount of chew—but having it fall short of my expectations was frustrating. And it put another rift in my rocky love affair with bread-making.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, September 12, 2008 at 6:30 PM
On Tuesday I found myself in an unusual situation—I was alone in the evening with nothing to do but sit back and watch the Mets game. I wanted something quick and easy to cook in the hour interval between getting home from work and starting the game. Luckily, I knew just the recipe; one I had been eying ever since I saw it posted on Photograzing, by the blogger Dragon's Kitchen: Dragon's Chicken Wings.
The original recipe said to bake the wings in the broiler, but I saw no reason why it couldn't be adapted for the grill. After starting a fire, I grilled the marinated wings immediately over the scorching heat. This produced a fully cooked wing with crisp skin in just about six minutes.
With the game going, and me all settled on the couch, I dove right in. The first few wings were perfectly crunchy and juicy, but lacked in the flavor department. The seasoning on each wing was subtle, and not until the fourth wing did the lingering spice build up until it really took off, putting my mouth (comfortably) on fire and leaving me dying for more.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, September 11, 2008 at 12:45 PM
There are still a few solid outdoor cooking days left before it's time to trade in your Weber grill for your Le Creuset Dutch oven, and your charred burgers for slow braised meats. Why not take advantage of the weather and prepare one last no-holds-barred steak dinner?
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from A Platter of Figs by David Tanis, is for bistecca with fried artichokes and potatoes. Baby artichokes are about the size of an egg. Unlike regular artichokes, they have no choke and are entirely edible. Here, they are softened in a bath of water and lemon juice, and then fried gently in olive oil along with the potatoes.
David serves this Tuscan-inspired entrée alongside a verdant green lasagne, and tops off the menu with Castagnaccia, a rustic cake made with chestnut flour.
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In addition to excerpting a recipe each day this week, we're also giving away five (5) copies of A Platter of Figs. Enter for a chance to win here.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, September 5, 2008 at 6:30 PM
With September now upon us, I've been feeling that dreaded sensation that summer is coming to a close. In these last fleeting days I wanted to make good use of the seasonal harvest still around, deciding on a grilled corn salsa to spotlight the delicious tomatoes and sweet corn about to be replaced by their tasteless, winter counterparts.
Not satisfied with merely grilling corn, I also stopped by my butcher and picked up two beautiful one and a half-inch thick thick pork rib chops. After a quick molasses brine, I rubbed the chops down with a chili rub, took them to the grill, then topped them with the corn salsa. The combination of the juicy, spicy pork and sweet corn salsa was excellent. It brought together the freshness of summer vegetables with the taste of the grill, keeping the season alive just a little bit longer.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, August 29, 2008 at 6:45 PM
I'm known for going a little overboard with the food when I grill—actually, make that a lot overboard—leaving my guests little incentive to make their own. I need to learn to cut back, because when people do come with their own creations, they tend to be eye-opening, like a Thai basil wrapped beef that graced my grill recently.
I started recreating this dish by mixing ground chuck with spicy Thai chilies, fish sauce, sugar, mint, and green onion. Then I formed the meat into small logs, wrapped each one in a Thai basil leaf, threaded them on skewers, and put them to the heat. The finished product's beauty was on par with its taste, which had all the heavenly flavors I equate with Thai cuisine. Give them a quick dunk in simple Thai dipping sauce, and they're all the better.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, August 22, 2008 at 6:30 PM
I tend to put on the Primal Grill with Steven Raichlen show when I want to fall asleep. Don't get me wrong, Raichlen has some great recipes, even if they can be unnecessarily heavy on ingredients, but something about his personality is conducive to slumber. Luckily, I stayed fairly awake through a recipe for five-spice short ribs, and after sweet, meaty dreams all night, I had to make them.
The show said to smoke the ribs for 2 1/2 hours at 250ºF—that seemed a little short for a piece of beef so marbled with fat and connective tissue. At the designated cooking time, it was no surprise the short ribs were still a bit tough and not entirely edible. Luckily I was in no hurry and kept them smoking, eating them as the day went on, getting more tender with each passing hour. After about seven hours, the last of these beefy, sweet short ribs were gone, and they lived up to earlier dreams.
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Posted by Nick Kindelsperger, August 20, 2008 at 4:00 PM
I picked this guy from Bon Appétit mostly because it involves yogurt sauce slathered on pork. It reminded me of the Baked Chicken with Yogurt and Chile Paste I made last year. And as it turns out, they're not just similar; they're almost identical.
Both involve meat covered in a yogurt-cumin sauce that's spiked with something spicy. This one replaces chili paste with the chilies in adobo in the baked version—a swap I completely endorse.
Overall, it wasn't disastrous, but certainly lacked the flavor of the baked version. After the yogurt gets brushed onto the meat, it doesn't marry the meat flavors like the baked version does. By the end, the meat felt lonely. You're supposed to top the pork with guacamole, but that part bothered me, so I skipped it—yet the flavor still needed something. Next time I'll set aside extra sauce at the beginning and drizzle it over the pork at the end.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, August 20, 2008 at 1:15 PM
The Japanese term yakitori literally means "grilled bird," and refers to skewers of chicken barbecued over a charcoal grill. Commonly served in casual, inexpensive izakayas (Japanese drinking establishments with food beyond bar snacks) and beer gardens, yakitori is considered by many to be the Japanese equivalent of American fast food.
Traditional yakitori employs a wide range of poultry parts from necks and bones, to offal and skin. But in today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from The Best Barbecue on Earth, author Rick Browne uses the boneless, skinless breasts more familiar to Western palates. He rounds out the recipe with additional skewers of shiitake mushrooms, bell peppers, and green onions, turning the dish into a perfect early evening appetizer.
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In addition to excerpting a recipe each day this week, we're also giving away five (5) copies of Browne's new book. Enter to win here.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, August 15, 2008 at 7:30 PM
For all my love of raspberries, I rarely cook with them—their cost gets in the way. So it was a joy to see a huge sale sign above six remaining boxes of raspberries on a recent trip to the grocery store, marking the end of the short raspberry season when prices drop dramatically. I quickly bought all that were left on the shelf and started cooking with them at home.
Almost all of these went into an excellent raspberry sherbet. The leftovers got pureed into a syrup to top peaches, perhaps the greatest of grilled fruits. After one taste of the sauce, the bright flavor of the raspberries had me rushing to the grill to take care of the peaches, expediting this tasty union.
Peaches grilled and sauced, I thought I'd be in heaven, but was surprisingly left in purgatory. Something was sorely missing—and that was vanilla ice cream. With none on hand, I went for the next best thing: heavy cream whipped with sugar and vanilla to dollop on the peaches. Suddenly, all was right in the universe.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, August 8, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Truth be told, I'm not a huge salad eater—I usually glance over them at restaurants and opt for heartier sides at home. But when a salad calls for me to grill, I'm all over it.
Flipping through the pages of Taming the Flame the other night, I stopped at an amazing photo of a grilled onion salad that I had to have. The recipe called for red onions, but destiny drove me to sweet onions when my market's reds looked more than a little shabby. The extra sweetness of the onions balanced well against the salty prosciutto and the tart vinegar, creating a perfectly harmonious salad. I served this alongside a New York strip, which got me wondering if this salad was the true paring for a steak, rather than the potatoes that I more commonly have filling that spot.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, August 8, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Salts flavored with herbs and spices add loads of flavor to meat and fish. Making them couldn't be simpler: just pulse salt and your seasoning of choice together in a food processor. (While you could simply stir the herbs and salt together in a bowl, grinding them together in the processor releases the oils and heightens the flavors.)
Today's Cook the Book recipe for grilled lamb chops with black olive sauce, excerpted from Bobby Flay's Grill It!, includes a aromatic rosemary salt. If you prefer, substitute oregano or fresh thyme. Make extra and store it in an airtight container, or pour it into cute jars to give as housewarming gifts.
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In addition to excerpting a recipe each day this week, we’re also giving away five (5) copies of Grill It! Enter to win here.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, August 7, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Bobby Flay's Grill It! is for grilled portobello mushrooms with hazelnut pesto and goat cheese. Vegetarian entrées don’t get much better than this—beefy portobellos are sturdy enough to stand up to the open flame and the melted goat cheese adds a delicately tangy flavor. The hazelnut pesto calls for the optional addition of hazelnut oil, which can be substituted with extra virgin olive oil since it can be difficult to find and is often very expensive. If you find the idea of grilling without meat blasphemous, serve these as a side dish for steaks.
Win 'Bobby Flay’s Grill It!'
In addition to excerpting a recipe each day this week, we’re also giving away five (5) copies of Grill It! Enter to win here.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, August 6, 2008 at 2:45 PM
Grilling is most often associated with bold, forthright flavors—thick sauces, fiery spices, and lots of meat—but there are delicate options out there that are just as delectable. Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Bobby Flay's Grill It! combines tender sea scallops with soft, translucent rice noodles and a light citrus-ginger sauce.
To toast sesame seeds on a grill, pour them in a single layer in a sauté pan, and place the pan directly on the grates. Shake the pan every couple of minutes to prevent burning, until the seeds are fragrant and light gold in color, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
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Posted by Robyn Lee, August 6, 2008 at 12:00 PM
The following recipe is from the August 6th edition of our weekly recipe newsletter. To receive this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here!
This week's recipe is for grilled nectarines with maple crème fraîche. The fresh berries make for an extra-stunning presentation.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, August 5, 2008 at 3:30 PM
I'm a believer in grilling classics since they're usually deemed "classics" for a delicious reason. Give me a perfectly grilled steak and I'm happy. Top that with some chimichurri sauce—an Argentinean mixture of parsley, garlic, onion, vinegar, and oil which adds a nice tang and freshness to beef—and I'm even happier.
That's exactly what I had in mind the other day, but some creative force pulled me out of my regular routine and made me wonder, "What if the sauce was cooked inside the steak?" So I acted on this notion and butterflied a two pound flank steak, spread chimichurri all over, then rolled and tied up the meat. Grilled to medium, the steak was succulent and the chimichurri flavor held up on the grill, still delivering a fresh factor, but not revelatory in taste. If there's something to be said for this modification, it was in the presentation.
Even though it was just a steak with sauce in the end, the rolled delivery induced awe from the crowd, and it definitely vanished faster than a non-rolled counterpart would have.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, August 4, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Today's Cook the Book recipe, the first to be excerpted from Bobby Flay's Grill It!, combines two unlikely ingredients: tangerine juice and maple syrup. But before you wrinkle your nose, consider the harmonious balance of sour and sweet. If you can’t find tangerine juice plain old orange juice will work in a pinch. Bobby uses soy sauce in place of salt for an earthier, rounder flavor.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, July 25, 2008 at 10:15 AM
I currently hail from Astoria, NY, where it's impossible to take a step without hitting a Greek restaurant. It didn't take me long to find an affinity to the cuisine indigenous to my neighborhood, and after being a resident for six years and counting, there have been more than a few extraordinary discoveries.
But none get me quite as much as halloumi, a salty hard cheese made of goat and sheep's milk that comes to life when grilled or pan fried. After cooked, I usually enjoy this cheese with a dash of lemon juice or stuffed in a pita with tzatziki and all the toppings, but I heard that Cypriots particularly like halloumi with watermelon—and that idea had "perfect summer salad" written all over it.
There really isn't much to grilling halloumi, just slice and slap it on a hot grill until it blisters, then it's done. It's best while still warm, so I made sure to have the watermelon cut, tossed with chiffonades of fresh mint, before heading to the grill with the cheese.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, July 18, 2008 at 11:15 AM
Tacos and gyrating meat hold a special place in my heart, making tacos al pastor a super food in my book. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, a vertical broiler has yet to make its way onto my wedding registry. Not to be discouraged, I set out to recreate tacos al pastor the best way I know how: by grilling them.
The deep smokey spiciness provided by guajillo and chipotle chiles mixed with the sweetness of the pineapple came through extraordinarily on the grill. These flavors combined to make a truly delectable taco, leaving me content on the taste part of meal—but the absence of gyration left a bit to be desired on the texture side. What I love about gyrating meat is how the outer layer becomes nice and crisp due to being exposed to the heat; when that layer is sliced off for a sandwich or taco, you get a unique combination of the crunchy outside and tender inside. I was unable to achieve that crunchiness on the grill without totally overcooking the pork, and in the end, a well cooked meat was more important. Even though the grilled tacos al pastor were excellent, they will never be a replacement for the real deal.
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Posted by Blake Royer, July 17, 2008 at 3:30 PM
A few months ago, I featured a recipe from Gourmet for roasted pork tenderloin with a toasted walnut vinaigrette—I loved the way it paired fresh, spicy arugula with the warm, savory dressing. Someone at Gourmet must also love this combination because this month's issue features another tenderloin salad with arugula and nuts. This time the salad is a take on Romesco sauce.
Romesco sauce is a Catalan dish that wonderfully combines almonds, garlic, peppers, chillies, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and sometimes bread. While the ingredients are traditionally bashed together to the thickness of pesto, the elements in this recipe stay separated and are scattered throughout the salad. I found the original recipe overwhelmingly spicy, but I've toned it down a bit in my adaptation by using half the dressing required and bulking it out with olive oil.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, July 17, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Fairway's ten-year old seafood department is well-known as one of the freshest and best in New York. This is due In large part to head fishmonger Tony Maltese. Born and raised in Brooklyn, Tony was a fisherman long before he ever worked at Fairway—in fact, he once caught a prize-winning 760-pound bluefin tuna off the coast of Montauk. Needless to say, he is a firm believer in the Fairway adage to "Buy fish from people who fish."
Today's Cook the Book recipe is for Rosemary and Chile-Grilled Shrimp with Lemon Zest. If, like me, you lack a backyard grill, simply sear these shrimp on the stove in a hot frying pan. They're perfect hot or at room temperature, tossed in a salad, or served over couscous as a main course. The Food Life author Steve Jenkins recommends buying whole shrimp with the heads on: "all that gunk in there is flavor, no doubt about it." But if you're squeamish, peeled and deveined shrimp would still be delicious.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, July 9, 2008 at 12:45 PM
I don't know about you, but the first time I tried to cut up a fresh mango I ended up with a pulpy mess. I tried to peel it like a potato with a vegetable peeler and then dice the flesh. I didn't take the mango’s core into account, or the fruit’s inherent slipperiness.
According to Toni Lydecker, author of Serves One, to properly chop a mango you must hold it with the narrower end facing up and make two big slices along either side of the pit. Then score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern and scoop out the cubes with a knife or a large spoon. The result: flawless, uniform squares of fruit.
In today's Cook the Book recipe, Toni purées fresh mango chunks with lime juice, cilantro, and Asian chili paste to make a vibrant, tropical sauce for a meaty grilled tuna steak. She suggests pairing this restaurant-worthy dish with couscous and sautéed snow peas.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, July 4, 2008 at 11:00 AM
Going through the list of All-American grilling items for Fourth of July, I was coming up short with ground not already covered. Ribs, chicken, sausage, and, to a lesser extent, hamburgers have all had their day in the sun. So if it wasn't going to be something different, it was going to be something bigger, because that's the American way. I went to the butcher and let the patriot in me pick out the largest slab of beef, a 1 1/2" thick porterhouse, brought it home and grilled it up, then topped it off with a blue cheese butter (that's a red, white, and blue steak for those of you keeping track).
The thick porterhouse presented a grilling challenge to get it perfectly medium rare without charring the outside. To get this cut right I had to build a two zone fire, with a all the coals stacked up on one side of the charcoal grate, keeping the other side empty. This allowed me to sear the steak to perfection on each side, then move it over to cooler area of the grill to finish up without the worry of burning. A steak this beautiful did not need anything to make it better, but the blue cheese butter added a tang that complemented the beef without overpowering it, creating a pleasing layer of depth to the meal. At the end of this gluttonous feast I felt like a perfectly grilled, over sized piece beef is something we can all stand behind, making us proud to be and American, or at the very least, an extremely full American.
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Posted by Blake Royer, July 3, 2008 at 4:30 PM
Maybe chili-spiked lamb sausage—better known as Merguez, a north African specialty—isn't the most patriotic thing to grill on July 4th. Your neighbors will be out there with their all-beef patties and Oscar Meyer hot dogs, looking over the fence. But the way I see it, high levels of deliciousness trumps all—and this sandwich passes the test with gusto.
The key is using a good crusty baguette, which also gets charred on the grill, making it taste fresh out of oven all over again. A quick cucumber, onion, and tomato condiment salad adds crunch, and there are two sauces to choose from: harissa, which can be store bought or blended up easily, and cumin-spiked mayonnaise (but call it cumin aioli for more raised eyebrows). The harissa is for spicier palates, while the aioli is a bit milder but still very flavorful.
D'Artagnan makes an excellent merguez sausage which is quite mild; you might also find them at a local farmer's market.
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Posted by Sarah Wolf, July 3, 2008 at 1:00 AM
- serves 6 -
Adapted from Mario Batali's Italian Grill
Ingredients
1 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only (about 2 cups loosely packed)
1 bunch basil, leaves only (about 2 cups packed)
2 cups fresh bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds large shrimp (21-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
12 large,sturdy rosemary sprigs about 8 inches long for skewers
2 lemons, cut into wedges
Procedure
1. Pull off most of the leaves from each rosemary sprig, leaving a nice tuft of leaves at the top. Using a sharp knife, cut off the bottom of the sprig on a diagonal to give you a sharp point. Soak in water for at least two hours, or overnight.
2. Toss the parsley and basil leaves into a food processor, add the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of the olive oil, and zap until the herbs are chopped and the bread crumbs look green. Transfer to a pie plate or wide shallow bowl, add the shrimp, and toss to coat well.
3. Skewer 4 or 5 shrimp on each rosemary spring (the easiest way to do this is line up 4 or 5 shrimp at a time on a work surface and run a skewer through them; then separate them slightly so they will cook evenly). Dredge on both sides in the bread crumb mixture, place on a platter, and put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
4. Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Put a piastra or a griddle on the grill to preheat.
5. Spritz or brush the piastra or griddle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the skewers on the piastra or griddle and cook, turning once, just until the shrimp are opaque throughout and some of the crumbs are browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with the lemon wedges.
Posted by Sarah Wolf, July 3, 2008 at 12:45 AM
- serves 6 -
Adapted from Bobby Flay's Boy Meets Grill
Ingredients
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
2 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise
2 Asian eggplants, halved lengthwise
2 medium red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
2 medium yellow bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, and quartered
2 medium red onions, quartered
1 basket cherry tomatoes (12 to 16)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped oregano
1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
Procedure
1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium high.
2. Place the zucchini, yellow squash, eggplants, bell peppers, onions, and tomatoes in a large, shallow pan or baking dish, add 1/2 cup of the olive oil, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables for 5 to 6 minutes with the grill uncovered, turning halfway through the cooking time. Remove the tomatoes, cover the grill, and cook the remaining vegetables until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Put the tomatoes in a large bowl.
3. Transfer vegetables to a cutting board and chop coarsely. Combine them with the tomatoes, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, garlic, oregano, and parsely, and add salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Posted by Joshua Bousel, June 27, 2008 at 2:30 PM
You can't argue with meat on a stick. If someone can find a better way to pack an entire delicious grilled meal into such a perfectly portable mechanism, I'd like to hear it. On top of that, I've found kabobs to also be one of the best items to grill as a group. They get everyone around the grill, cooking their own food, and are done quickly, narrowing that time of great anticipation between when your food first hits the grill, until it reaches your mouth. This past weekend the kabobs flowed on and off my grill all afternoon, and out of three different varieties I offered, the clear crowd favorite was the bacon-wrapped chicken.
Kabobs are great enough as is, but bring some bacon into the fold, and you have yourself a masterpiece. To get these started, I soaked my chicken chunks and mushrooms in a fairly standard marinade of soy sauce, vinegar, honey, and green onion. This marinade brings a ton of flavor to the rather bland chicken breasts, and adds a lot of moisture to the mushrooms, which would normally dry out over of the high heat of the grill while waiting for the chicken to finish cooking. After letting the chicken bathe overnight, I wrapped each piece in a strip of thick cut bacon and threaded them onto skewers with the mushrooms and some pineapple chunks. Besides imparting the unbeatable flavor of bacon, the bacon fat also basted the chicken while cooking, which kept the cubes extremely moist.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, June 26, 2008 at 2:30 PM
This 4th of July, whether you're hosting a big backyard bash or simply cooking out with a few friends, you can't go wrong with today's Cook the Book recipe for Shrimp and Pineapple Skewers with Garlic and Cilantro Drizzle, excerpted from Grill Every Day by Diane Morgan.
Sweet, juicy pineapple is an incredibly grill-friendly fruit. The tender chunks need minimal preparation—just toss them on the hot grate—and yield succulent results. In this dish, the warm, tropical flavor of the pineapple pairs perfectly with fresh, sweet shrimp and chunks of crunchy red bell pepper. Before serving, the skewers are topped with a vibrant sauce of lime juice, garlic, and cilantro.
While it's not quite red, white, and blue, this brilliant dish of yellow, pink, red, and green is definitely a feast for the eyes, and worthy of any Independence Day celebration.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, June 25, 2008 at 2:15 PM
This 4th of July, why not grill burgers made from America's original red meat, buffalo? Available in most butcher shops and many high-end supermarkets, buffalo is lower in fat than beef, and has less cholesterol than chicken breasts. In addition, bison are natural prairie grazers, raised without growth hormones or stimulants. The tender, juicy meat, slightly gamey in flavor, also makes excellent steaks, roasts, and even sausages.
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Grill Every Day, is for Buffalo Burgers with Pepper Jack Cheese, but you can substitute any cheese or other topping you like. Serve with buttery grilled corn on the cob and plenty of napkins.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, June 25, 2008 at 12:00 PM
The following recipe is from the June 25th edition of our weekly recipe newsletter. To receive this newsletter in your inbox, sign up here!
Just in time for the 4th of July, here is a simple recipe perfect for any backyard barbecue. Honey Mustard-Glazed Chicken Wings, adapted from Grill Every Day by Diane Morgan, will appeal to children—of all ages—who love to eat with their hands and lick their fingers.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, June 24, 2008 at 1:00 PM
Pizza may have originated in Italy but by now it's also an American classic, from Chicago's deep dish pies to New York's thin-and-foldable slices. What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than with a backyard grilled pizza party?
Grilling pizza is incredibly easy, and yields outstanding results. The crust becomes crisp, bubbly, and charred; the vegetables caramelize; and the cheese melts and retains a bit of smoky flavor. While making your own dough is certainly an option, store-bought fresh or frozen dough works just fine, and when it comes to toppings the only limit is your imagination.
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Grill Every Day by Diane Morgan, is for Grilled Sweet Onion, Thyme, and White Farmhouse Cheddar Pizza. Pair it with a tomato salad and blueberry pie to round out the holiday colors!
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Posted by Lucy Baker, June 23, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from Grill Every Day by Diane Morgan, is for Southeast Asian Pork Satay. The spicy marinade (composed of lemongrass, ginger, cumin, coriander, and red pepper flakes) can be prepared up to three days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator, making it an ideal choice for a busy weeknight family meal. But keep this recipe in mind for your next dinner party as well—it would make a terrific appetizer.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, June 20, 2008 at 3:45 PM
I love getting emails like these. A Hamburger Today reader Dave C. just pinged me with his "Burgers Never Fail" recipe. I generally advocate against mix-ins, but I don't like to follow dogma off a bridge. And I'm intrigued by the Yoshida's sauce in it. Perfect for the weekend. After the jump, severe burgerage.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, June 20, 2008 at 11:15 AM
The massive heatwave two weekends ago released my summer urge to head to the beach, and I had a lovely beach excursion all planned out for this past Sunday. I woke that morning to a dreary rainy day, not the beach weather I was expecting. Through my disappointment I decided if I can't get to the beach, I'll bring a part of it to me and headed out to my fish monger to pick up something I could throw on the grill.
While fish is no stranger to my grill, I am admittedly not much of seafood eater, but am on a road to changing this. When looking for a piece of fish to cook, I wanted something hearty, not overly fishy, and that would stand up to being grilled. My fish monger recommended the striped bass as the freshest fish of the day meeting my requirements. I grilled this up with a light rub and topped it with a roasted salsa, working in flavors I really enjoy to put me on track to being a serious seafood eater. Even though I would have preferred this with a fresh, cool salsa (although roasting isn't a bad idea with this salmonella scare we got going), the rub/salsa combination ending up being the perfect compliments for the fish. The spicy rub brought out the taste of grilling, while the acidity of the salsa balanced nicely with the seafood flavor, and the whole thing left me exclaiming, "Why haven't I eaten this more often?!!?!?" Now I've found my anticipation to hit the waves has been replaced by excitement over my next adventure in grilled fish.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, June 17, 2008 at 3:45 PM
The olive and I have a loving and long standing relationship, but recently I've been having a little affair—a summer fling, if you will—with the caper. What started as a passing sprinkle atop a lox-laden bagel has become a downright infatuation: at the restaurant where I waitress I don't steal bread from the basket, or biscotti from the jar by the dessert wines; I sneak caper berries from the antipasti station.
Just what is a caper, anyway? Capers are the premature buds of a perennial bush native to the Mediterranean. Once picked, they are cured in a combination of salt and vinegar. Their briny flavor is similar to that of olives and anchovies, and the three ingredients are often used together in dishes such as puttanesca. If allowed to mature on the bush, caper buds grow into caper berries, which are much larger—about the size of cocktail olives—and can be served as a meze or antipasto on their own.
Given my obsession with these tiny morsels, I couldn't pass up the recipe for Grilled Chicken Thighs with Roasted Grape Tomatoes in the June issue of Cooking Light. The chicken thighs are marinated in a simple combination of olive oil, lemon, and garlic. Once grilled, they are served with a mound of roasted tomatoes stirred with parsley, more lemon, and a generous spoonful of capers. The results are fantastic: the smoky, meaty flavor of the chicken thighs (don't be tempted to substitute breasts!) is tempered by the sweet tomatoes and the tart, salty capers.
While I will prepare this dish again exactly as is, the tomato mixture would be equally good paired with a hearty fish, such as tuna.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, June 13, 2008 at 1:30 PM
My dad isn't much of a fruit-and-vegetable kind of guy, but he loves pineapples. Growing up, we always had Dole juice in the fridge, and fresh pineapples ripening on the counter—I learned from an early age that canned rings just wouldn't do.
Today's Cook the Book recipe, excerpted from New South Grilling, is for a perfect Father's Day dessert: Caramelized Pineapple with Pineapple Sherbet. Wedges of fresh pineapple are brushed with melted butter and sugar, then grilled until the flavors are nutty and concentrated and paired with a simple version of sherbet made with sweetened condensed milk.
The best thing about this recipe is that each half stands out on its own. If you don't have a grill, just make the sherbet and serve scoops garnished with fresh mint and sugar cookies. Likewise, if you don’t have an ice cream machine, top the grilled pineapple slices with premium store-bought vanilla.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, June 13, 2008 at 11:30 AM
On Mother's Day I was thoughtful and asked my Mom what it was she'd most like to have grilled for her, but Father's Day is a whole different beast. Even though my own father isn't much of a griller, I know that I'm destined to be the reason Hallmark produces countless grilling cards. So I thought, "What would could a son or daughter do that would both impress and make me relinquish hold of the grill?" The answer: sausage.
I don't think there's anything else in my repertoire that so consistently causes awe, but in all honesty, sausage is not all that hard to make, and the final reward far outweighs any difficulty or time. Beer Brats seemed especially fitting for Father's Day, packing almost every Father's Day cliché nicely onto a 6" hard roll. Cooking bratwurst in a bath of dark beer and onions adds the perfect slightly bitter compliment to this sweet-spiced sausage. Then, top that off with some ketchup, mustard, pickles or sauerkraut, and the whole thing just explodes with flavor with every bite. I'm not quite there yet, but I know the day one of my offspring make some of these for for me, I'm going to be one proud papa.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, June 12, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Grilling is commonly associated with big, bold flavors; hearty portions of meat slathered with sauce; and vegetables dripping with butter-based marinades—not exactly heath food. If you're not careful, backyard dining can sabotage your waistline.
But it doesn't have to.
There are plenty of ways to grill lite. Today's Cook the Book recipe, from New South Grilling, is for Pompano in a Foil Bag. Mild, white fish filets (if you can't find pompano, substitute mahi-mahi or red snapper) are sealed in packets with wine, spices, and aromatics, and then placed on the grill to steam. The results are incredibly flavorful, and the aroma that rises when the foil packets are spit open is truly something special.
This dish would be a great way to celebrate Father's Day without added fat and calories—because you want Dad around for years to come.
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Posted by Sarah Wolf, June 11, 2008 at 6:15 PM
- serves 6 -
Adapted from Mario Batali Italian Grill by Mario Batali.
Ingredients
6 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
Generous 4 cups trimmed arugula, washed and spun dry
Juice of 1/2 small lemon
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A 4-ounce chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano for shaving
Procedure
1. Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
2. Place the portobellos on the grill and cook, turning two or three times, until slightly softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a platter, arranging the mushrooms gill side up.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the anchovy paste, vinegar, and thyme. Spoon the mixture evenly over the portobellos and let stand for 30 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, toss the arugula with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the lemon juice. Season with coarse sea salt and pepper.
5. Divide the arugula among six plates and top each with a mushroom. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmigiano over the salads. Serve immediately.
Posted by Sarah Wolf, June 11, 2008 at 6:15 PM
- serves 6 to 8 -
Adapted from Lobel's Prime Time Grilling by Stanley, Leon, Even, Mark, and David Lobel.
Ingredients
4 whole chicken legs, with legs and thighs separated (4 1/2 to 5 pounds)
3 cups buttermilk
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
3 large cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons cayenne
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Procedure
1. Rinse and pat dry the chicken legs and thighs. Divide them between two large resealable plastic bags or shallow glass or ceramic dishes.
2. Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Divide the marinade between the bags or dishes. Seal the bags or cover the dishes with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours, letting the chicken come to room temperature before grilling.
3. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill: Lightly spray the grill rack with vegetable oil cooking spray. Light the coals or heating elements, and let them burn or heat until moderately hot.
4. Lift the chicken from the dish, allowing the excess marinade to drip off. Discard the marinade.
5. Grill the chicken legs and thighs for 40 to 45 minutes, turning often with tongs. The chicken is done with the juices run clear when pierced with a fork or sharp knife, or when an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thighs registers 180°F (don't let the thermometer touch the bone). Serve immediately.
Posted by Sarah Wolf, June 11, 2008 at 6:15 PM
- serves 6 -
Adapted from Mario Batali Italian Grill by Mario Batali.
If you can only find regular thyme, whisk in some grated lemon zest along with the olive oil before drizzling the mixture over the onions.
Ingredients
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh lemon thyme
2 pounds medium to large red onions
About 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Procedure
1. Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
2. Combine the vinegar, garlic, and thyme in a small saucepan and heat until fragrant and just beginning to steam (the mixture will register about 150°F on an instant-read thermometer); don't let it boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cut the onions into 1/2-inch-thick slices and lay out on a baking sheet. (To make it easier to turn the onions on the grill, and to avoid losing any onion rings in the fire, insert a toothpick into the side of each slice, pushing it halfway through; or put a wire cooling rack on the grill so the onions won't slip through.)
Brush on both sides with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Place the onions on the hottest part of the grill and cook, unmoved, for 4 to 5 minutes, until just charred on the first side. Turn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, or until softened and lightly charred on the second side. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter and remove the toothpicks if you used them, then carefully stack the onion slices—like pancakes—on a serving platter.
5. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil into the vinegar mixture and drizzle it over the onions. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Posted by Sarah Wolf, June 11, 2008 at 6:15 PM
- serves 4 to 8 -
Adapted from Taming the Flame by Elizabeth Karmel.
Ingredients
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons black peppercorns, coarsely ground
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons celery salt
2 teaspoons red chile flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 tablespoon fine sea salt
4 slabs back ribs, about 3 pounds each
Special equipment: disposable aluminum turkey roasting pan
Procedure
1. Make the rub: Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Divide the mixture in half. Put half of the rub in a spice (coffee) grinder or mortar and pestle and grind the spices to a medium consistency. Mix that with the reserved spice rub. (This will make a rub that is easily absorbed by the meat during "rubbing" and still has texture.) Set aside.
2. Make the mop: Mix 1 tablespoon of the dry rub with the apple juice, water, and salt until the salt is dissolved. Set aside.
3. Build a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill, setting up the grill for indirect heat.
4. Remove the silver skin from the back of the ribs, if desired. Sprinkle the ribs liberally with the spice rub and let sit, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Place an aluminum pan on top of the cooking grate.
5. Arrange the ribs on a rib rack. Place the ribs in the aluminum pan on the center of the cooking grate over indirect medium-low heat. Pour 1 cup of the apple juice mop into the drip pan.
6. Grill covered (at about 325°F, if your grill has a thermometer) for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and has pulled back from the ends of the rib bones.
7. Leave ribs untended for the first 30 minutes—this means no peeking. Then, using the apple juice mixture, baste or "mop" the ribs every 20 minutes, adding a little more apple juice mop (about 1/4 cup) to the drip pan each time. You will do this twice. When the mop is gone and the juices have accumulated in the drip pan, baste the ribs with the drippings one more time. If the ribs start to burn on the edges, stack them on top of one another in the very center of the foil pan and lower the heat slightly.
8. About 10 minutes before the ribs are done, remove them from the pan and place them on the cooking grate over indirect heat to finish browning and crisp the surface crust. (If your ribs are already crispy and have a caramelized crust on the outside, this last step may not be necessary.)
9. Meanwhile, pour the pan drippings through a fine sieve or fine-mesh strainer into a saucepan and bring to a boil, adding any leftover apple juice mop. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
10. Remove the ribs from the grill and let them rest for 10 minutes before cutting into individual or 2 to 3 rib portions. Serve the ribs with warm drippings on the side.
Posted by Lucy Baker, June 11, 2008 at 12:45 PM
Men love meat. Particularly steaks. Especially grilled ones. This Father's Day, why not skip the fancy restaurant dinner and prepare your dad Marinated Ribeye Steaks instead?
While ribeyes are more expensive than many other cuts of beef, they are well worth the extra cost, as the meat is especially juicy, tender, and marbled (fatty). According to Robert St. John, author of this week's Cook the Book selection, New South Grilling, ribeyes are also "the easiest and best of the typical steak cuts to marinate" because they readily absorb and hold so much flavor.
St. John's recipe uses a mixture of wet and dry ingredients for the marinade, including soy sauce, ginger, paprika, and liquid smoke. The results are incredibly savory, spicy, and succulent.
Serve the ribeye with your dad's favorite potatoes.
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Posted by Leah Greenstein, June 9, 2008 at 4:00 PM
- serves four -
Adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz.
Ingredients
4 cups blackberries
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoon rosewater
2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoon candied ginger, finely chopped
4 ripe peaches, halved
2 tablespoon olive oil
Procedure
1. Puree rinsed blackberries with water, rosewater, and sugar until smooth.
2. Pour blackberry puree through a fine sieve to remove seeds.
3. Stir lemon juice into blackberry puree and then chill mixture down to 45°F.
4. Pour sorbet batter into your ice cream maker, adding ginger pieces just before it's done churning. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the sorbet into an airtight container and freeze 4-6 hours.
5. When sorbet is ready, fire up your grill and brush peach halves with olive oil. Place peaches on grill cut side down and cook until warmed through, about 4 minutes.
6. Plate sorbet and peaches together and enjoy.
Posted by Lucy Baker, June 9, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Dads love burgers, bacon, and anything that involves melted cheese. All the better if it's folded into a tortilla and can be eaten with your fingers. Today's Cook the Book recipe, the first to be excerpted from New South Grilling by Robert St. John, is for Bacon Cheeseburger Quesadillas.
While the recipe includes directions for grilling beef burgers, preparing this dish would be an excellent way to use up last night’s leftover patties. Try it with turkey, chicken or veggie.
In New South Grilling, St. John provides a number of recipes for simple, versatile No-Stick Grilling Marinades and Seasonings for beef, poultry, and vegetables. Each yields a generous amount and lasts for up to two weeks in the fridge, so once prepared you can toss together a number of different recipes from the book in just minutes. For these quesadillas, both the No-Stick Marinade for Beef and the Steak Seasoning are used. The recipes for each are provided below.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, June 6, 2008 at 12:00 PM
I have already expressed my enthusiasm for the Big Apple Barbecue Block Party that will be in town this weekend. I have a dilemma though—all years past I've made the BABBP a two day affair, spreading out my eating in order to get as much 'cue in my stomach as possible. This year I will only be able to attend one day, but I'm determined not to let this predicament have a negative influence on my meat intake. So I decided to eat a little lighter and healthier in my attempt—however futile it may be—to offset the negative health effects the BABBP is sure to cause, in addition to make sufficient room for my impending gluttony.
Luckily, "light and healthy" on the grill still equates to delicious (but you can probably say that for almost anything grilled). For me, there's no more satisfying way to enjoy vegetables than to grill them. The high heat brings out their natural sweetness and cooks them to perfect tenderness at the same time, and as if that weren't enough, letting them soak in a lemon marinade adds another level freshness that only makes them better. I piled these grilled veggies on some toasted Italian bread, spread with herbed goat cheese, which made one seriously tasty summer sandwich. Whether or not this will aid in my attempt to eat as much barbecue in one day as possible is yet to be known, but I do know that I'm sure going to be eating more of these sandwiches as the summer rolls on.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, June 3, 2008 at 3:15 PM
I loved grilled vegetables almost as much as I love grilled meats. But finding the perfect marinade can be a challenge. It has to be distinctive while at the same time complimentary to the main dish. And it has to be effortless—when the warm weather hits, who has time to scour markets for obscure spices to be used only once or twice? Above all, a good grilling marinade must be versatile enough to stand up to all of summer's bounty, from spring asparagus to end-of-the-season zucchini.
For this week's Magazine Recipe Review I prepared the Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash from the June issue of Everyday Food. To be honest, I was intending to make something else, but last Saturday night the grill was going and I realized that I had all the ingredients for this simple dish on hand—and when it comes to building a repertoire of great, no-fuss recipes, isn't that always a good sign?
For this dish, sliced zucchini and yellow squash are tossed with a simple combination of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. After grilling, the vegetables are dressed with the reserved marinade for an added boost of flavor. The results were terrific. The extreme heat of the grill intensified the mild flavor the vegetables and caramelized the balsamic vinegar. While I’m not usually a fan of dried herbs (why not use fresh?) the oregano added a lovely, mild aromatic note. Best of all, this recipe is extremely flexible. We made it again the next night with mushrooms, and drizzled the last bit of marinade over ears of corn.
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Posted by Lucy Baker, May 30, 2008 at 1:30 PM
Today's Cook the Book recipe for Curried Lamb Kabobs is perfect for a last-minute summer grilling party. In season two of Top Chef, contestants were challenged to create a dish using jarred mayonnaise, prepared barbecue sauce, or bottled Italian salad dressing. Marcel Vigneron created this recipe, which doctors up plain old Hellmann's with spicy curry powder and sweet honey.
Mayonnaise is a great ingredient for anyone looking to create sophisticated meals in a minimum amount of time. With just a few simple additions, it transforms from a basic condiment into a savory sauce, dip, or spread. Try tossing in some lemon juice and chopped garlic for an easy aioli, or make a quick tartar sauce with chopped capers or cornichons and a pinch of minced shallots.
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Posted by Adam Kuban, May 24, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Each Saturday evening we bring you a Sunday Supper recipe. Why on Saturday? So you have time to shop and prepare for tomorrow.
In case you hadn't noticed, it's Memorial Day weekend here in the U.S. of A., and like all red-blooded hoot-hollerin' Americans, I plan to do my share of grilling this weekend.
This is one of my favorite grilled chicken recipes. It's got the flavors of Southeast Asia built right in, flavors that seem to do very well over the flame.
I typically halve this recipe when making it for myself. But for the weekend, I'm sure you're having people over or hanging out in a crowd, so following it as-is, with two chickens, should do it for you.
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Posted by The Serious Eats Team, May 24, 2008 at 12:45 PM
- makes 4 -
Adapted from Burgers Every Way, by Emily Haft Bloom.
Ingredients
8 slices thick-cut bacon
1 pound ground chuck
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 kaiser-style rolls
4 slices sharp cheddar or pepper jack
3 tablespoons
Secret Sauce (4 parts mayonnaise and 1 part red relish)
2 tablespoons chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
8 crisp dill pickle chips
1 cup chopped iceberg lettuce, patted dry and chilled
4 slices beefsteak tomatoes
Procedure
1. Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat and cook the bacon until crisp.
2. Form the ground beef into 4 flat patties of equal size, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Grill the burgers, flipping once, until cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side.
4. Butter the bottoms of the hamburger buns and, 1 minute before the burgers are done, toast both halves of the buns on the grill.
5. While the burgers are still on the grill, top each patty with a slice of cheese and a slice of bacon. Quickly remove the burgers from the grill and assemble as follows:
1. Bottom bun
2. Secret Sauce
3. Sweet onions
4. Dill pickle chips
5. Iceberg lettuce
6. Tomato slice
7. Beef patty with cheese and bacon
8. Top bun
Posted by The Serious Eats Team, May 24, 2008 at 12:30 PM
- makes 4 -
Adapted from Burgers Every Way, by Emily Haft Bloom.
Ingredients
1 pound ground chuck
1 jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and minced (wear gloves when preparing)
1 cup Spicy Tomato Salsa (recipe follows)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4 soft corn tortillas
1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Procedure
1. Preheat a broiler or charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat.
2. Using a wooden spoon (or your hands, if you are wearing gloves), mix together the ground beef, jalapeno, 1/4 cup of the salsa, and salt and pepper in a large bowl, until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Form into 4 patties, a little flatter and greater in diameter than a usual burger shape.
3. Broil or grill them, flipping once, until cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side.
4. Place tortillas in microwave, two at a time, and cook on high for about 20 seconds. Arrange each burger on a warm tortilla and top with the avocado slices, shredded cheese, and additional salsa. Alternatively, wrap each burger and the toppings in a tortilla like a burrito. Serve with additional salsa on the side.
Spicy Tomato Salsa
Ingredients
12 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1 tablespoon jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and minced (wear gloves while preparing)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Procedure
Mix all the ingredients in a small glass bowl. The salsa may be used immediately for the burgers, but chill it for at least an hour if serving it as a dip.
