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Wednesday, May 30, 2001
Start your grills
Art of the barbecue includes main course and all the sides
By Joan Brunskill
Associated Press
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| Associated Press |
| A BBQ salmon sandwich is an easy way to serve salmon with a toasted kaiser roll. |
NEW YORK - The message is not news by now: Americans' open season on grilling is ever longer, in many areas year-round, and there's almost no kind of food we are not marinating, basting and browning on the grill.
The art of grilling inspires major statements from fans.
"Grilling is the world's oldest cooking method," Steven Raichlen, grilling authority and cookbook writer, pronounced recently. "I believe barbecuing begot civilization. It's central to the human experience."
His books include "The Barbecue! Bible" (Workman, 1998) and his newest, "How To Grill" (Workman, 2001). The word barbecue can mean several things, he pointed out: a style of cooking; the equipment on which you cook; the food or preparation you cook, and an occasion.
"Its meaning differs by region," he added. "Real barbecue may be one of the few last truly regional American foods."
He defined terms: "Grilling can be direct - right over the heat - or indirect, always covered, a sort of outdoor oven. True barbecue is always indirect, slow, with a lot of smoke."
All courses included
Raichlen was talking as he prepared food for the grill on the deck of a waterfront restaurant in Manhattan, at a cookout organized by Cutco Cutlery.
The cookout's eclectic menu illustrated points Raichlen made: Barbecue has moved to the edge of the plate as well as occupying the center; it's expanded to include first courses, side dishes, main-course centerpieces and desserts; and it's become global, with cooks worldwide borrowing from each other's traditions. Raichlen slathered seasoned butter on bread, to make garlic bread; he deftly carved out a chicken's backbone, so the bird would lie flat on the bars; he sliced a juicy pineapple to dip in coconut milk, then in brown sugar, cinnamon and cloves, to grill for dessert. He delivered a fluent commentary as he worked.
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| Associated Press |
| Grilled molto bene sirlion with red peppers and artichokes. |
Among points he made:
Your chicken will burn if it's basted too early, especially if there's a lot of sugar in the sauce. Use a rub before cooking, perhaps some combination of a little sugar, paprika, salt and pepper. Later, with a brush, "mop" on a sauce that could be a mix of vinegar, salt, pepper and chili; another sauce might be a mixture of ketchup (it has everything in it), Coke (or Sprite or beer), steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, liquid smoke ("it's very effective, it's a natural product, made from wood").
Take care of the grill itself, for good grill hygiene: Always make sure it's clean before you begin (give it a final scrub with crumpled foil), then oil it, using paper towel and oil.
The art of grilling calls for both common sense and passion, said his collaborator at the grill event, Fritz Sonnenschmidt, dean of the Culinary Institute of America, host of TV's Grilling Maestros.
"Barbecuing is to me the perfect technique - your kitchen never gets dirty," he said. "It's so simple. The key to it, all you have to have is an understanding of your food and then marinating. "
With enviable ease he put together imaginative selections of grillable ingredients, skewering combinations of apple, walnuts, kumquats and ham; and plump shrimps marinated in green tea ("a fantastic concept of a very old idea from the Chinese tradition"), to serve with sweet-and-sour sauce.
For vegetarians, there was tofu marinated in red wine, balsamic vinegar, orange juice and honey, to grill and serve with wilted spinach.
He finds charcoal and gas grills work equally well, but recommends a few safety habits. Always have some baking powder next to the grill in case of a flash fire. Throwing baking powder on it kills it straight away (milk works, too).
BBQ salmon sandwich
Four 6-ounce fresh salmon fillets
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon barbecue rub
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
1 red onion, sliced ¼-inch thick
1 large ripe tomato, sliced ¼-inch thick
4 leaves Boston or leaf lettuce
4 kaiser rolls, toasted lightly
Brush the salmon with the oil and season with barbecue rub. Sear the fish on one side for 2 minutes directly over the fire (direct heat). Turn fish over and sear for 2 minutes. Move fish to the side of the fire (indirect heat), baste with your favorite barbecue sauce and cook until done, about 6 more minutes.
Garnish with red onion, a slice of tomato and Boston or leaf lettuce, serve on a toasted kaiser roll.
Makes 4 servings.
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| Associated Press |
| Grilled portobello and vegetable stacks make a satisfying meatless meal, since the mushrooms provide good texture and cheese adds extra nutrition. |
Note: For a more complex flavor, the onions and tomatoes may be grilled. Just slice the onions and tomatoes ¼-inch thick; season with salt and pepper and olive oil before grilling until lightly charred, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving: 550 cal., 22 g fat (3 g saturated fat) 480 mg sodium, 41 g pro., 95 mg chol., 46 g carbo.
- Recipe from chef Randy Waidner of Chicago's Weber Grill restaurant
Asparagus and potatoes
16 large asparagus spears
4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Clean and trim asparagus, season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill asparagus directly over the fire for about 5 minutes.
Clean and cut potatoes in quarters, season with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill over low fire until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving: 180 cal., 14 fat (2 g saturated fat), 10 mg sodium, 2 g pro, 0 mg chol., 13 g carbo.
Grilled portobello and vegetable stacks
(Preparation 15 minutes, cooking time 15 minutes)
2 medium-sized zucchini
2 medium-sized yellow summer squash
1 large red bell pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
8 medium-sized portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
¼ cup prepared marinara sauce
½ cup shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese
Prepare grill or preheat broiler.
Cut each zucchini and yellow summer squash diagonally to make 4 slices. Cut pepper in 4 squares. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, salt and pepper. Add portobello caps, zucchini, yellow squash and bell pepper; toss until well coated.
On a grill rack or rack in a broiler pan, place portobellos and vegetables in a single layer; grill or broil until tender and browned, about 10 minutes, turning once.
To assemble stack: On gill side of four of the portobello caps, spoon marinara sauce and top with half of the cheese and all of the squash slices and the bell pepper, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Return stuffed and unstuffed mushrooms to grill, gill side up; heat until cheese melts, about 5 minutes.
To serve, place an unstuffed portobello on top of a stuffed portobello, or prop it against the side.
Makes 4 servings.
- Recipe from the Mushroom Council.
Grilled apple, parma ham, walnuts and kumquats
3 medium size apples, if possible Mutsu or Empire
24 crystallized walnuts, warm (recipe follows)
24 thin slices of Parma ham
12 kumquats cut in half
6 wood skewers soaked in water for about 1 hour, drained
Olive oil
Peel apples, cut each into 8 wedges, remove pips.
Press a walnut into each apple wedge and roll in a slice of Parma ham. Alternate apple wraps with kumquats on skewers. Brush skewers with olive oil and grill for 2 minutes on each side or until tender.
Makes 6 servings.
Crystallized walnuts
¼ cup sugar
1 cup water
8 ounces walnuts
½ to 1 tablespoon oil
Combine sugar and water and bring to a boil. Add walnuts and simmer until water has evaporated and syrup starts to caramelize. Add a few drops of oil; spread on a sheetpan.
Makes 8 ounces walnuts.
- Recipe from chef Fritz Sonnenschmidt
Molto bene sirloin steak
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 top sirloin steak, 11/2 to 2 pounds and about 11/2 inches thick
To make the marinade: In a medium bowl whisk together the marinade ingredients.
Trim the steak of any excess fat. Place the steak in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place on a plate, and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, turning occasionally.
Remove the steak from the bag and discard the marinade. Allow the steak to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.
Grill the steak over direct-medium heat until the internal temperature reaches 140 F for medium rare, 15 to 20 minutes, turning once through the grilling time. Remove from the grill and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices and serve warm.
Makes 4 servings.
- Recipe from 'Weber's Big Book of Grilling'
Coconut grilled pineapple
1 ripe golden pineapple
141/2-ounce can coconut milk
11/2 cups turbinado (coarse, light-brown) sugar or granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Canola or olive oil
Sprigs of fresh mint for garnish
Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. Brush and oil the grill grate.
Peel the pineapple, cut crosswise into ½-inch slices, and core. Shake the coconut milk well before opening the can. Pour it into a wide, shallow bowl. Place the sugar, cinnamon and cloves in bowl and stir with a fork to mix.
Dip each pineapple slice first in coconut milk, then in the sugar mixture, shaking off the excess between each dipping. Arrange the slices on the grate and grill until nicely browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If a crosshatch of grill marks is desired, rotate each slice on each side 90 degrees after 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer the pineapple slices to plates or a platter for serving; garnish with mint sprigs. Alternatively, serve in bowls, over ice cream.
Makes 6 servings.
- Recipe from cookbook author Steven Raichlen
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