Whether you’re flame charring bell peppers like an Argentinean pit master or sizzling bacon-crusted sweet potatoes or squash with Asian spices, there’s nothing like an indoor grill. Some of the more unexpected techniques here include roasting onions and potatoes in a fireplace, spit roasting artichokes or Belgian endive, and giving corn the Japanese treatment—grilled with sesame soy butter. Tired of the conventional potato salad? Try the smoked potato salad with a Peruvian chile cheese sauce. Indoor grilling will give you a whole new take on vegetables.
Push the envelope and think out of the box—these are two of the mottos I try to cook by and live by, and they certainly hold for indoor grilling. Even artichoke leaves (normally tough except at their base) acquire a singed, smoky, waferlike crispness, so you can munch on them whole, thanks to the steady radiant heat and slow rotation of a rotisserie. All with little more effort than the push of a button. SERVES 2 TO 4
I’ve called for large globe artichokes cut into quarters, but you can also spit roast smaller artichokes cut in half or whole baby ones.
2 large globe artichokes (1½ to 2 pounds total)
1 lemon, cut in half
3 cloves garlic, cut into matchstick slivers
4 to 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Saffron Aïoli (optional; recipe follows)
1. Using kitchen shears, cut off and discard the spiny tips of the artichoke leaves. Cut the bottom ¼ inch off each stem but leave the rest of the stem intact. Using a sharp knife, cut each artichoke lengthwise in quarters. Using a grapefruit spoon or melon baller, scrape out the fibrous part in the center of each artichoke. Rub all of the cut parts of the artichokes with lemon juice to prevent discoloring.
2. Place 3 or 4 slivers of garlic between the leaves of each artichoke quarter, then generously brush the artichokes with olive oil, dabbing it between the leaves. Season the artichokes very liberally with salt and pepper. Arrange the artichoke quarters in a flat rotisserie basket so that the stem ends are on the inside and will be perpendicular to the spit. Close the basket tightly.
3. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the rotisserie. Attach the basket to the rotisserie spit, then attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14).
4. Cook the artichokes until they are a deep golden brown on the outside and tender inside, 50 minutes to 1 hour. To test for doneness, insert a skewer in an artichoke; it should pierce the heart easily. Transfer the artichokes to a platter or plates and serve at once with the Saffron Aïoli, if desired.
Garlic mayonnaise—aïoli—is the great condiment of Provence. Here it’s perfumed with another evocative Mediterranean flavoring: saffron. Buy saffron threads rather than powder; they’re more likely to be pure saffron. MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
¼ teaspoon saffron threads
2 teaspoons hot water
2 to 3 cloves garlic, mashed to a paste
1 cup mayonnaise (preferably Hellmann’s)
Tiny pinch of cayenne pepper
Freshly ground white pepper
Crumble the saffron threads between your fingers into a small mixing bowl. Add the water and let soak for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, mayonnaise, and cayenne and whisk to mix. Season with white pepper to taste. The aïoli can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.
While I’ve provided a tasty saffron and garlic mayonnaise as a sauce here, you may find spit-roasted artichokes so flavorful you don’t want to serve them with anything more than some melted butter—or nothing at all.
Most of the Belgian endive that’s consumed in the United States is served raw, sliced in salads. In Europe, especially in France and the Benelux countries, people also enjoy this crisp, slender, white, pleasantly bitter member of the lettuce family cooked. Spit roasting produces an effect similar to braising endive, which is the cooking method preferred in Europe. Here the endive is stuffed with Gouda cheese before being wrapped in tangy prosciutto. MAKES 8; SERVES 4 TO 8
The endives tend to shrink and rattle around in the rotisserie basket as they cook. I’ve called for eight so you can tightly pack the basket.
1 slice (¼ inch thick; about 2 ounces) aged Gouda or other firm cheese
8 Belgian endives
8 thin slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
Butcher’s string
1. Cut the cheese into 8 long thin strips; each should be about ½ inch shorter than the endive and ¼ inch wide.
2. Cut each endive lengthwise into quarters, cutting to but not through the root end (the idea is to open up the endive like an elongated tulip). Place a piece of Gouda in the center of each endive, trimming off any cheese that sticks out. Tightly wrap each endive crosswise in a slice of prosciutto, then tie it in place with 2 pieces of butcher’s string.
3. Arrange the endives in a flat rotisserie basket so that they will be perpendicular to the spit. Close the basket tightly.
4. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Attach the basket to the rotisserie spit, then attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14). Cook the endives until they are crusty and golden brown on the outside and soft inside, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Use a skewer to test for doneness; it should pierce the endive easily. Transfer the endive to a platter or plates and serve at once.
VARIATIONS: Think of this recipe as a jumping-off point. You can stuff the endive with any of a number of cheeses, such as Taleggio or Cheddar. For that matter, you could wrap it in bacon or pancetta instead of prosciutto.
There’s nothing like live fire to heighten a bell pepper’s natural sweetness while imparting a haunting smoke flavor. But don’t take my word for it—just ask grill masters from countries as diverse as Japan, Turkey, Italy, and Argentina. The red bell pepper is the belle of the ball in Buenos Aires, where it’s grilled whole over live coals, then served on the stem, with nothing more than a drizzle of olive oil and a whisper of garlic—or sometimes just all by itself. Grilling peppers in the fireplace most closely approximates what you’d get at an Argentinean steakhouse. You can also use a built-in grill. SERVES 4
4 large red bell peppers
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and coarsely ground black pepper
1. Cook the bell peppers, following the instructions for either of the grills in the box at right, until darkly browned on all sides, turning with tongs. Brown the 4 sides of the peppers, then brown the tops and bottoms. You don’t need to burn the skin to peel it, as you would with Italian grilled peppers.
2. Transfer the peppers to a platter. Drizzle a little olive oil over each and sprinkle them with garlic. Season the peppers with salt and pepper and serve warm. The peppers will need to be cored and seeded at the table.
VARIATION: For a slightly more elaborate presentation, grill the bell peppers until they are completely charred. Let the peppers cool slightly, then scrape off the skin. Cut them in half, remove the core and stem, and scrape out the seeds. Cut the peppers into 1-inch strips and arrange them on a plate. Drizzle the olive oil over them, top with the garlic, and season with salt and pepper. For extra punch, add diced anchovies. The peppers (try this with yellow, orange, or green peppers, too) can be served warm or at room temperature.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the bell peppers on the hot grate. They will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes on each side (12 to 20 minutes in all) and 1 to 2 minutes on the top and the bottom.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the bell peppers on the hot grate. They will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes on each side (12 to 20 minutes in all) and 1 to 2 minutes on the top and the bottom.
Grilled corn is found all along the world’s barbecue trail—seasoned with lime juice and chiles in India, mayonnaise and grated cheese in Mexico, and of course, sweet butter, salt, and pepper here in the United States. Soy butter is what Japanese grill masters use to baste corn. It goes great with American varieties, like white corn from Cape Cod or silver shoe peg from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. SERVES 4
The Japanese grill their corn husked and cut into pieces or broken in half. The reason is simple: Most Japanese grills are relatively tiny, and shucked, halved corn takes up less room. It’s a useful method when cooking on an indoor grill, too.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 scallion, both white and green parts, finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 ears sweet corn, shucked and cut or broken in half crosswise
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds (see Note)
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Arrange the ears of corn in the hot grill pan so that they are parallel to the ridges. The corn will be done after cooking 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the ears of corn on the hot grate so that they are parallel to the ridges. The corn will be done after cooking 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Arrange the ears of corn on the hot grate so that they are parallel to the ridges. The corn will be done after cooking 3 to 4 minutes per side (12 to 16 minutes in all).
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Arrange the ears of corn on the hot grate so that they are parallel to the ridges. The corn will be done after cooking 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all).
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the scallion and cook until it loses its rawness, about 1 minute (you don’t want the scallion to brown). Stir in the soy sauce and remove the saucepan from the heat.
2. Cook the corn, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at left, until nicely browned on all sides, basting it with a little of the soy butter. Use a light touch as you baste; you don’t want to drip a lot of butter into the grill.
3. Transfer the corn to a platter. Brush it with any remaining soy butter, sprinkle the sesame seeds over it, and serve at once.
NOTE: To toast sesame seeds, place them in a dry cast-iron or other heavy skillet (don’t use a nonstick skillet for this). Cook the sesame seeds over medium heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes, shaking the skillet to ensure that they toast evenly. Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a heatproof bowl to cool.
Bacon-grilled corn turns up from time to time at American barbecues, but I’ll wager you’ve never before seen it spit roasted. The method has several advantages: As it slowly spins the bacon becomes crisp without burning. The bacon fat keeps the corn moist without the risk of flare-ups. (Did I mention that this is a great way to rid the bacon of most of its fat?) And, the bacon imparts an amazing smoky flavor to the corn. SERVES 4
• For the best results, use an artisanal smoked bacon—bacon that’s been smoked, not just injected with brine and smoke flavoring. You’ll find it often at farmers’ markets. One good brand available by mail order is Nueske’s Hillcrest Farm (see page 396).
• If you’re using a large rectangular basket or your basket doesn’t close tightly, it’s a good idea to tie the bacon to the corn at both ends and in the middle with butcher’s string.
4 slices smoky bacon
4 ears sweet corn, shucked
1. Hold a piece of bacon by the ends and gently pull on it to stretch it. Starting at one end, wrap a piece of bacon around an ear of corn in a spiral, like the red stripe on a candy cane. Repeat with the remaining bacon and corn.
2. Arrange the bacon-wrapped ears of corn in a flat rotisserie basket so that they will be perpendicular to the spit. Close the basket tightly.
3. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Attach the basket to the rotisserie spit, then attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14). Cook the corn until the bacon is crisp and golden brown and the corn is browned and tender, 30 to 40 minutes.
4. Transfer the corn to a platter or plates and serve at once.
Argentineans are about the most relentless carnivores on the planet; it’s not uncommon for people there to eat beef twelve or thirteen times a week. But there are at least two grilled vegetables that turn up just about everywhere Argentinean grass-fed beef sizzles over blazing coals: morrones (red bell peppers; see page 328 for a recipe) and oregano-scented grilled eggplant. The seasonings are simple—basically the Argentinean spice rack consists of salt, pepper, oregano, bay leaves, parsley, and perhaps hot paprika. The rub adds flavor, and the basting mixture keeps the eggplant moist as it grills. And, grilling eggplant makes it seared on the outside and tender inside—in short, everything grilled eggplant should be. SERVES 4
If you are cooking the eggplant on a contact grill, place a sprig of parsley on top of each slice and it will grill right into the eggplant.
1 eggplant (about 1 pound), cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1. Lightly brush the eggplant slices on both sides with about 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season them very generously with salt and black pepper. Place the garlic, oregano, and hot pepper flakes in a small bowl and stir to mix, then sprinkle about half of this mixture on the eggplant slices on both sides, patting it onto the eggplant with your fingertips. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the bowl with the garlic mixture, stir to mix, and set aside to use for basting the eggplant.
2. Cook the eggplant, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at right, until it is nicely browned and very tender; it should feel soft when poked with your finger. Brush the eggplant slices once or twice with the garlic-oil mixture as they grill.
3. Transfer the grilled eggplant to a platter or plates and serve at once.
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the eggplant on the hot grill, then close the lid. The eggplant will be done after cooking 3 to 6 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the eggplant in the hot grill pan. It will be done after cooking 3 to 6 minutes per side.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the eggplant on the hot grate. It will be done after cooking 3 to 6 minutes per side.
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the eggplant on the hot grill. It will be done after cooking 4 to 7 minutes per side.
Fennel has been described as licorice-flavored celery, and this anise-flavored vegetable, with its bulbous white base, is delectable cooked on the rotisserie. The slow, gentle roasting softens its fibrous flesh, and the honey and sherry vinegar marinade keeps it from drying out. Because fennel is a hard and dense vegetable, I recommend marinating it overnight. SERVES 4
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup sherry vinegar
¼ cup honey
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed (see Note)
1. Place the olive oil, sherry vinegar, and honey in a large nonreactive mixing bowl and whisk until well mixed. Season with a little salt and pepper.
2. Cut each fennel bulb into quarters lengthwise. Add the fennel to the marinade and stir to coat evenly. Let the fennel marinate in the refrigerator, covered, overnight. Gently stir the fennel from time to time so that it marinates evenly. You can also marinate the fennel in a resealable plastic bag.
3. Drain the marinade off the fennel into a heavy nonreactive saucepan and set aside. Arrange the fennel quarters in a flat rotisserie basket so that they will be perpendicular to the spit. Close the basket tightly.
4. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Attach the basket to the rotisserie spit, then attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14). Cook the fennel until it is browned and very tender, about 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Bring the marinade to a boil over medium-high heat and let boil until thick, syrupy, and reduced by about a third, 8 to 12 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or pepper as necessary.
6. Transfer the fennel to a serving dish, spoon the sauce over it, and serve at once.
NOTE: Fennel sometimes comes with its long, slender stems and feathery leaves attached. These are delectable cut into salads. Or add them to the grill when you cook fish. Cut the stems off flush with the top of the fennel bulb.
One of Korea’s national dishes (dare I say treasures?), bool kogi is thinly shaved beef that’s grilled after marinating in a sweet-salty-nutty mixture of sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and hefty doses of garlic. The sugar caramelizes during the grilling process, giving the meat a candylike sweetness (to learn how to prepare beef steak in this fashion, see page 79). I’ve always thought of mushrooms as the beef of the vegetable world, so the notion of a portobello bool kogi shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. Serve this as a vegetarian entrée or as an intensely flavorful side dish. SERVES 4
I call for portobello mushrooms here because I like their generous size (with a little imagination, a portobello looks like a burger). However, any kind of mushroom can be marinated and grilled this way. You’ll need about 1½ pounds.
4 medium-size portobello mushrooms (each 4 to 5 inches across and 5 to 8 ounces)
2 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and minced
½ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup sake or cream sherry
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon Asian (dark) sesame oil
¼ cup sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
1 teaspoon Korean chile powder or hot paprika (optional)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Using a paring knife, trim the stems off the portobellos. Wipe the caps clean with a damp paper towel (don’t rinse them, or they’ll become soggy). Place the mushroom caps in a nonreactive baking dish just large enough to hold them or in a resealable plastic bag.
2. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the minced scallion greens for garnish.
3. Place the remaining scallions and the soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, sugar, garlic, sesame seeds, chile powder, if using, and pepper in a nonreactive mixing bowl, whisk until the sugar dissolves, and pour the mixture over the portobellos. Let the mushrooms marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 6 hours, turning them several times so that they marinate evenly.
4. Drain the portobellos, pouring the marinade into a heavy nonreactive saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil over high heat and let boil until syrupy and reduced by about a third, 3 to 5 minutes. You’ll use this as a sauce.
5. Cook the portobellos, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at left, until browned and tender.
6. Transfer the portobellos to a platter or plates. Spoon the sauce and, if cooked in a contact grill, any juices that collected in the drip pan over the mushrooms. Sprinkle the reserved scallion greens on top and serve at once.
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the portobellos on the hot grill rounded side up, then close the lid. The mushrooms will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the portobellos in the hot grill pan. They will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes per side.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the portobellos on the hot grate. They will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes per side.
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the portobellos on the hot grill. They will be done after cooking 5 to 7 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the portobellos on the hot grate. They will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes per side.
The more I use the rotisserie, the more I marvel at its ability to bring out the richness and sweetness of vegetables, especially roots and tubers. Case in point—spit-roasted onions. Roasting onions in their skin adds color and flavor. So does the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey marinade, which gets boiled down into a thick, syrupy sauce. I don’t mean to be immodest, but these may be the best onions you’ve ever tasted. SERVES 4 (UNLESS YOU’RE REALLY HUNGRY)
You don’t need a “designer” onion, like a Vidalia or Maui; even everyday yellow or white onions come out candy sweet after spit roasting.
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup honey
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions
1. Place the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and honey in a large nonreactive mixing bowl and whisk until well mixed. Season with a little salt and pepper.
2. Cut each onion lengthwise into quarters, leaving the skin on and the root end intact. Add the onions to the marinade and stir to coat evenly. Let the onions marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight. Gently stir the onions from time to time so that they marinate evenly. You can also marinate the onions in a resealable plastic bag.
3. Drain the marinade off the onions into a heavy nonreactive saucepan and set aside. Place the onion quarters in a flat rotisserie basket and close it tightly.
4. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Attach the basket to the rotisserie spit, then attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14). Cook the onions until they are dark brown and very tender, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Use a skewer to test for doneness; it should pierce an onion easily.
5. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Bring the marinade to a boil over medium-high heat and let boil until thick, syrupy, and reduced by about a third, 8 to 12 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or pepper as necessary.
6. Transfer the onions to a serving dish, spoon the balsamic vinegar sauce over them, and serve at once.
Roast whole onions in the fireplace and the smoke and fire flavors they take on are breathtaking. There are two ways you can do this. Start with four onions in their skins.
To roast onions in front of the fire, first make four doughnut-shaped rings from crumpled aluminum foil (you’ll use these to hold the onions upright). The rings should be about 2 inches across. Cut the top ½ inch off each onion; leave the root ends intact. Set the onions, cut side up, on the foil rings. Place a pat of butter or drizzle a little olive oil on top of each onion, then season them generously with salt and pepper. Place the onions on the foil rings right in front of the fire, at the edge of the fireplace or on its floor, so they are about 10 inches away from the embers. Roast the onions until the skins darken and the onions are soft, 12 to 15 minutes per side (48 minutes to 1 hour in all), turning them with tongs.
To roast onions in the embers, leave the onions whole. Rake out a mound of embers and place the onions on top. Shovel more embers and ash over the onions to cover them. Roast the onions until the skins blacken and the onions are soft, 20 to 40 minutes.
I like to serve the onions right in their burnt skins. You can spoon the soft, moist interior out of the charred shell; it’s rather like eating a soft-boiled egg. The Parmesan Cream Sauce on page 345 would make a good accompaniment. Or make a balsamic vinegar and honey glaze by combining the ingredients as described in Step 1 at left, then bringing them to a boil over medium-high heat and boiling them until you have about ½ cup.
The plantain is a jumbo cooking banana and a staple throughout Latin America. When green (unripe), it tastes starchy and bland—rather like a potato. As it ripens from yellow to black, it becomes sweeter, eventually acquiring a taste that could well be described as that of a candied banana. Once considered an exotic ethnic food, with the Latinization of the American diet plantains have become widely available. Which brings us to a dish of South American origin—patacones—plantain “coins,” named for an old Spanish gold currency. I call them pieces of eight. Traditionally, patacones are deep-fried twice: First the slices are cooked until soft enough to be flattened slightly; then they’re fried a second time to render them golden brown and crisp. You can achieve a similar effect using a contact grill with a lot less fuss, mess, and best of all, a lot less fat. Here’s a garlic-rich version of pieces of eight—made with green plantains. On the next page you’ll find a candy-sweet version made with ripe plantains. SERVES 4 TO 6
Plantains can be eaten at any of three stages of ripeness: verde, green and hard; pintón, yellow and semisweet; and maduro, black, soft, and sweet. Use green plantains or greenish-yellow plantains for Pieces of Eight #1.
2 green plantains
Ice cubes
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or 2 tablespoons (¼ stick) butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Cooking oil spray
1. Cut the ends off the plantains. Make three shallow slits through the peel running the length of each plantain. Use the tip of the knife only and cut just through the peel, not the flesh of the plantain. Place the plantains in a large bowl, add cold water to cover and a couple of ice cubes, and let soak for 20 minutes. This will help loosen the peel from the plantains.
2. Remove the peels by sliding your thumb inside the slits. Cut the plantains crosswise into slices about ¾ inch thick. Place the plantain slices in a mixing bowl and sprinkle the olive oil, garlic, and cilantro over them. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently to mix.
3. Preheat the grill (for instructions for using a contact grill, see page 3); if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill.
4. When ready to cook, lightly spray the grill surface with cooking oil spray. Place the plantain slices on the hot grill; if they start to slide down to the low end, prop up that end of the grill with a plate. Close the lid. Set the mixing bowl aside. Grill the plantains until lightly browned and beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Leaving the grill on, return the plantains to the bowl with the garlic oil and toss to mix. Place the plantains back on the grill and firmly close the lid, slightly flattening the plantains. Continue grilling the plantains until they are nicely browned and tender, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer the grilled plantains to a platter or plates and serve at once (I like to serve the plantains out of the bowl that held the garlic oil).
Every once in a while, if you’re lucky, you stumble upon a recipe that’s bold and different enough to be hailed as an innovation. I hesitate to claim such a discovery as my own, but my wife believes these maduros, sweet grilled ripe plantains, are truly revolutionary. Grilling gives ripe plantain “coins” the candy sweetness of fried plantains, one of Miami’s most popular side dishes, without the mess and grease of deep-fat frying. SERVES 4 TO 6
You need fully ripe plantains for Pieces of Eight #2. If you live in an area with a large Hispanic community, you’ll probably be able to find them—look for plantains with skins that are yellowish black to fully black. Otherwise, you can buy green plantains and let them ripen at room temperature until they are yellowish black; it will take a week to ten days.
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the sliced plantains on the hot grill; if they start to slide to the low end, prop that end of the grill up with a plate. Close the lid. The plantains will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the sliced plantains in the hot grill pan. They will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to medium-high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the sliced plantains on the hot grate. They will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a medium-hot, 4 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the sliced plantains on the hot grate. They will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
2 ripe plantains
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or unsalted (¼ stick) butter, melted
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
1. Cut the ends off the plantains. Make three shallow slits through the peel running the length of each plantain. Use the tip of the knife only and cut just through the peel, not the flesh of the plantain. Remove the peels and cut the plantains crosswise into slices about ¾ inch thick if using a contact grill, or sharply on the diagonal in ¼-inch-thick slices if using another indoor grill.
2. Place the plantain slices in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the olive oil over them, season with salt and pepper, and gently toss to mix.
3. When ready to cook, remove the plantains from the mixing bowl and set the bowl aside. Cook the plantain slices, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at left, until they are a dark golden brown and very tender. After the plantains have cooked for 2 minutes, brush them with any olive oil that is left in the mixing bowl.
4. Transfer the grilled plantain slices to a platter or plates and serve at once.
I’ve long been a partisan of cooking potatoes on the grill. On an outdoor grill, you use the indirect method, cooking the spuds next to, not directly over, the fire. Indoors you can achieve a similar effect in a countertop rotisserie. After being marinated with garlic and rosemary, the potatoes are spit roasted in a rotisserie basket. The result is potatoes with a savory, crisp outside and a creamy inside. To achieve the same effect in the oven, you’d probably need to use a whole stick of butter. SERVES 4
1½ pounds baby red potatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves, or 1½ teaspoons dried rosemary
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1. Scrub the potatoes under cold running water and cut out any blemishes. Blot the potatoes dry with paper towels, then place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic and rosemary to the potatoes, season them generously with salt and pepper, and stir with a wooden spoon to coat evenly. Add the olive oil and stir to mix. Let the potatoes marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 5 minutes or up to 6 hours.
2. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Place the potatoes in a flat rotisserie basket and close it tightly. Attach the basket to the rotisserie spit, then attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14).
3. Cook the potatoes until golden brown and very tender, about 40 minutes. Use a skewer to test for doneness; it should pierce the potatoes easily. Transfer the potatoes to a platter or plates and serve.
You can season and cook the potatoes right away, but for a really perfumed flavor, let them marinate with the rosemary and garlic for 4 to 6 hours.
Centuries ago, the hearth was a focal point of the home—a primary source of light and heat and the means for cooking. Potatoes and other root vegetables roasted in the ashes were a staple (think of van Gogh’s painting The Potato Eaters). The Spanish had their papas en las cenizas (potatoes roasted in the ashes). The French had their luxurious truffes sous la cendre (truffles cooked under ashes). Beyond the romance of roasting vegetables in the fireplace, there are two gustatory advantages: The fire imparts a subtle smoke flavor as it slowly and gently roasts the potatoes and it produces an extraordinary soft, creamy texture. SERVES 4
There are at least two ways to roast root vegetables in a fireplace: in the embers and in the ashes. The difference between the two is something like the difference between direct grilling and indirect grilling outdoors with cooking in the embers more akin to grilling using the direct (ideal for onions) method and cooking in ashes more like grilling using the indirect (well suited to potatoes) method. The ashes serve as a sort of insulator to keep the embers from scorching the potato skins. If you’re planning on roasting in ashes, it’s a good idea to save some from previous fires in a metal bucket, so you always have plenty on hand.
4 large baking potatoes (12 to 14 ounces each)
Sweet butter or extra-virgin olive oil
Sour cream or crème fraîche
Finely chopped fresh chives
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
Ashes; a fireplace shovel; a natural bristle paintbrush
1. Scrub the potatoes under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Prick each potato in several places with a fork.
2. Light wood in the fireplace and let it burn down to glowing embers (for instructions for grilling in a fireplace, see page 12).
3. When ready to cook, rake a 1-inch layer of embers in one part of the fireplace. Shovel a 1-inch layer of ash on top. Arrange the potatoes on top of the ashes; shovel 1 inch of ash over them, then shovel a 1-inch layer of embers on top of the ash. Roast the potatoes until cooked through, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Use a long slender metal skewer to test for doneness. When the potatoes are fully cooked, the skewer will pierce them easily.
4. Place butter, sour cream, and chives in attractive serving bowls and set aside.
5. Shovel the embers and ash off the potatoes and remove them with tongs, shaking off the excess ash. Transfer the potatoes to a heatproof platter. Brush off any remaining ash with the paintbrush. Cut a lengthwise slit in the top of each potato and squeeze the sides to open the potatoes up. Pile butter, sour cream, and chives into the potatoes, then season with salt and pepper and serve.
VARIATIONS: Sweet potatoes, boniatos (Caribbean sweet potatoes), and large onions would all also be delicious roasted in ashes. For that matter, so would green plantains. All will take between 40 minutes and 1 hour to cook through.
OK, so you’ve won the lottery—here’s how a nineteenth-century Frenchman would have spent the money. Invest in as many black truffles as you can, ideally four to five truffles for each person you plan to serve. Select ones that are about 1 inch in diameter and 4 to 5 ounces each. (By truffles, I mean Tuber melanosporum, the aromatic French black truffle, which is in season in the fall and winter.) If the truffles have not already been cleaned, scrub them under cold running water with a stiff-bristled brush and pat them dry with paper towels.
To roast the truffles, rake out 1 inch of embers in one part of the fireplace and shovel a 1-inch layer of ash on top. Arrange the truffles on the ashes; shovel 1 inch of ash over them, then shovel a 1-inch layer of embers on top of the ash. The truffles will be cooked through and just tender after 12 to 20 minutes (when the truffles are done, a metal skewer will pierce them easily). Remove the truffles from the pile of ashes and brush off any remaining ash. Serve them with nothing more than a glass of gorgeous Bordeaux.
Potatoes in the style of Huancayo, a city about a hundred miles east of Lima, may well be the world’s best potato salad. Don’t act surprised: Peru is the birthplace of the potato, and this Andean nation is home to more than two hundred species. What makes the salad unique is a creamy, piquant, spicy sauce made with salty white cheese and Peruvian chiles. In my version the potatoes are smoked, resulting in an extraordinary juxtaposition of flavors and textures. SERVES 4
• Queso blanco is a salty white cheese available in Hispanic markets and a growing number of supermarkets. If you can’t find it, you can achieve a similar effect by combining white Cheddar or feta and Muenster.
• Aji amarillo is one of the defining flavors of Peruvian cuisine—a pugnacious piquant yellow chile that is sold dried, ground, puréed, or whole in jars. Look for it in Hispanic or specialty food stores or see Mail-Order Sources on page 396. There’s no exact substitute for aji amarillo, but a mixture of smoked or hot paprika and turmeric comes close.
• You can also smoke the potatoes in a wok. You’ll find instructions for doing this in the box on page 234.
Cooking oil spray (optional)
1½ pounds baby new potatoes (white or red; see Note), rinsed, scrubbed, and blotted dry with paper towels
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
1 hard-cooked egg, peeled
6 ounces queso blanco (see Tips), or 3 ounces each white Cheddar and Muenster, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 to 2 teaspoons ground aji amarillo (see Tips), 2 to 4 bottled or frozen aji amarillo, 2 to 3 teaspoons aji amarillo paste, or 1 teaspoon smoked or hot paprika
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric (½ teaspoon if you’re using paprika)
½ cup evaporated milk
¼ cup canola oil
4 Boston lettuce leaves
¼ cup black olives
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
1½ tablespoons oak or apple sawdust
1. Set up the smoker (for instructions for using a stove-top smoker, see page 16). Place the sawdust in the center of the bottom of the smoker. Line the drip pan with aluminum foil and place it in the smoker. Lightly coat the smoker rack with cooking oil spray, or use a paper towel dipped in oil, and place the rack in the smoker.
2. Place the potatoes in a large bowl and toss them with the olive oil, then season them with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes on the smoker rack. Cover the smoker and place it over high heat for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium. Smoke the potatoes until tender (they should be easy to pierce with a knife), 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer the smoked potatoes to a wire rack to cool.
3. Cut the egg into ¼-inch slices. Place the egg, queso blanco, aji amarillo, lemon juice, turmeric, evaporated milk, and canola oil in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice as necessary and salt and pepper to taste; the sauce should be highly seasoned.
4. Line a platter or 4 plates with the lettuce leaves and place the smoked potatoes on top. Spoon the sauce over them. Garnish with the olives and serve at once.
NOTE: The potatoes should be 1 to 1½ inches in diameter. You can use larger potatoes if you cut them in half or quarter them.
Like onions, shallots contain a lot of sugar and become candy sweet when spit roasted. Their flavor is even more complex than an onion’s, with earth tones that hint at leek and garlic. In this recipe, spit-roasted shallots are paired with a Parmesan-flavored béchamel sauce to make a sort of deconstructed gratin. SERVES 4
1½ pounds shallots
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan Cream Sauce (recipe follows)
1. If using large shallots, cut them in half; leave smaller shallots whole. Place the shallots in a mixing bowl and add the oil. Season with salt and pepper, then toss to coat. Place the shallots in a flat rotisserie basket and close it tightly.
2. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Attach the basket to the rotisserie spit, then attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14). Cook the shallots until they are darkly browned on the outside and very tender, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Use a skewer to test for doneness; it should pierce a shallot easily.
3. Cut any whole shallots in half. Serve the shallots in the skins with the Parmesan Cream Sauce spooned over them. To eat, scoop the shallots out of the skin.
You can spit roast medium-size shallots (ones that are about the size of walnuts) or large ones that have been cut in half. In either case, leave the skins on; as they brown they give the shallot a nice flavor.
This is a cayenne-spiked béchamel sauce enriched with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. When my dietician stepdaughter, Betsy, is around, I make it with skim milk. When she isn’t, I use half-and-half or light cream. MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
1½ tablespoons flour
1 cup skim milk, whole milk, half-and-half, or light cream, or a mixture of any of these
⅓ to ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground white pepper
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
A pinch (just a pinch) of cayenne pepper
1. Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook until the mixture bubbles and the flour has lost its raw smell, about 2 minutes, whisking steadily. Do not let the flour brown.
2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the milk. Return the pan to the heat, bring the sauce to a simmer, and let simmer 3 to 5 minutes, whisking often. The sauce will thicken after about a minute, but you want to cook it for 3 to 5 minutes so it loses the floury taste.
3. Reduce the heat to low, whisk in the Parmesan cheese, and cook, stirring, until the cheese melts. Season with salt, white pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne to taste. Serve the sauce no more than 15 minutes after it’s made; keep it warm at the back of the stove until ready to serve.
Like onions, shallots can be roasted in the fireplace. Start with large shallots, ones that weigh a little more than an ounce apiece, and don’t peel them. There are two ways to roast them.
Place whole shallots on a brick right in front of the fire, at the edge of the fireplace, or on its floor, so they are about 10 inches away from the embers. Roast the shallots until the skins blacken and the shallots are soft, 5 to 8 minutes per side (10 to 16 minutes in all), turning with tongs.
Or, make a pile that is roughly half ash and half embers. Nestle the shallots in the embers and roast them until they are blackened and soft, 10 to 15 minutes in all.
To serve, scrape off the burnt skins (don’t worry about removing every last bit) and serve the shallots with the Parmesan Cream Sauce (this page) or drizzle some olive oil and few drops of balsamic vinegar over them and season them with salt and pepper.
Here’s a simple way to cook summer squash, and if you’ve ever found these watery vegetables to be lacking in flavor, you’ll love the way an indoor grill can caramelize the squash and concentrate its flavor. Herbes de Provence is a blend of Mediterranean herbs. You can buy it pre-blended at specialty food stores, or make your own following the recipe in my Barbecue! Bible Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades. SERVES 2 TO 4
2 yellow squashes or zucchini (12 to 14 ounces total)
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 to 2 cloves garlic (optional), minced
1. Trim the ends off the squash. Cut each squash lengthwise into ½-inch-thick slices if you are using a contact grill; cut each into ¼-inch-thick slices if using any of the other indoor grills (see Note). Lightly brush each slice on both sides with olive oil, then season on both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the herbes de Provence and garlic, if using, over both sides of the squash.
2. Cook the squash, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at right, until they are golden brown and tender.
3. Transfer the grilled squash to a platter or plates and serve at once.
NOTE: Squash can be cooked on any sort of indoor grill, but whether you slice it thick or thin depends upon the kind of grill you are using. The key to cooking squash on a contact grill is to slice it thick enough so that both sides will come in contact with the grill—ideally about ½ inch thick. If you are grilling squash in a grill pan, on a built-in or freestanding grill, or in the fireplace, you’ll get the best browning and the richest flavor if you slice it thin (about ¼ inch thick).
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the squash on the hot grill, then close the lid. The squash will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the squash in the hot grill pan. It will be done after cooking 2 to 4 minutes per side.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the squash on the hot grate. It will be done after cooking 2 to 4 minutes per side.
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the squash on the hot grill. It will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the squash on the hot grate. It will be done after cooking 2 to 4 minutes per side.
Most grilled squash recipes receive what might be called the Thanksgiving treatment—a sweet spice rub or basting sauce that likely includes cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, honey, and/or brown sugar. Here’s an Asian take on grilled squash, featuring garlic, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. These savory seasonings bring out the natural sweetness of the squash, without turning it into something that could double as dessert. SERVES 4
1½ pounds butternut or other winter squash
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 scallion, both white and green parts, minced
1 tablespoon black or white sesame seeds
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the squash on the hot grill, then close the lid. The squash will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes. You will need to turn the squash so that you can baste both sides.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the squash in the hot grill pan. It will be done after cooking 2 to 3 minutes per side. Use the butter mixture sparingly when basting, taking care not to drip a lot of it into the grill pan. After it has cooled down, soak the grill pan in hot water to loosen any burnt-on butter mixture.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to medium-high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the squash on the hot grate. It will be done after cooking 2 to 3 minutes per side.
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the squash on the hot grill. It will be done after cooking 3 to 4 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a medium-hot, 3 to 4 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the squash on the hot grate. It will be done after cooking 2 to 3 minutes per side.
1. Peel the squash and remove and discard the seeds. Cut the squash crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices if you are using a contact grill; cut it into ¼-inch-thick slices if you are using any of the other indoor grills.
2. Place the butter in a small saucepan and melt it over medium heat. Add the garlic, scallion, and sesame seeds and cook until the garlic has lost its rawness, about 1 minute; do not let the garlic brown. Stir in the maple syrup and soy sauce, bring to a boil, and let boil for 30 seconds.
3. When ready to cook, brush the squash slices on both sides with some of the butter mixture. Cook the squash, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box, until browned and tender; it should be easy to pierce with a knife. Baste the squash once or twice with the garlic mixture as it cooks.
4. Transfer the squash to a platter or plates and serve at once, spooning any remaining butter mixture and, if cooked in a contact grill, any juices that collected in the drip pan over it.
• You could use any orange-fleshed winter squash for this recipe. I call for butternut, which is the easiest to peel. Acorn or Hubbard squash would give you interesting-looking arched slices.
• For a great look, use black sesame seeds, which are available at Asian markets and natural foods stores. If you can’t find them, white sesame seeds will work just fine.
Conventional grills are great for cooking vegetables with a high moisture content, like peppers and mushrooms. But what about dense root vegetables, like yams and potatoes? The direct, relatively mild heat of a contact grill is perfect for producing tubers that are caramelized on the outside and tender without being mushy inside. My wife, Barbara, who tends to be a bit of a skeptic when it comes to indoor grilling, pronounced these the best candied yams she’s ever tasted. SERVES 4
2 large yams (about 1½ pounds total)
2 tablespoons (¼ stick) salted butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
¾ cup sugar, in a large shallow bowl
Cooking oil spray
1. Peel the yams and cut them crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices (thick enough to give you grill marks on both sides). Discard the pointy ends.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the maple syrup, bring to a boil, and let boil until it becomes thick and syrupy, about 30 seconds. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Using a pastry brush, brush each yam slice on both sides with the butter mixture, then dip both sides in the sugar, shaking off the excess.
3. Preheat the grill (for instructions for using a contact grill, see page 3); if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill.
4. When ready to cook, lightly coat the grill surface with cooking oil spray. Place the yam slices on the hot grill on a diagonal to the ridges and close the lid. Grill until browned on the outside and tender inside (they’ll be easy to pierce with a knife), 6 to 8 minutes.
5. Transfer the yams to a platter or plates and serve at once, spooning any juices that collected in the drip pan over them.
• I like garnet yams, tubers with a rich flavor and vivid reddish orange hue, for this recipe. You could also use conventional sweet potatoes.
• Some people like to add ground cinnamon or nutmeg to the sugar. If you want to try this, use ½ teaspoon of either spice.
I’ve always been a sucker for the sweet salty counterpoint of bacon and maple syrup. And I’m not alone in this—the traditional Vermont breakfast, a specialty of the Inn at Sawmill Farms in West Dover, consists of bacon and eggs poached in maple syrup. That was my inspiration for these sweet, smoky, bacon-grilled yams. From eggs with bacon and maple syrup to yams with bacon and maple syrup is a bit of a leap, but one you’ll be glad you made. SERVES 4
2 large yams (about 1½ pounds total)
8 thick slices bacon (about 8 ounces total), cut in half crosswise
¼ cup maple syrup
Cooking oil spray
1. Peel the yams and cut them lengthwise into 8 slices, each about ½ inch thick. Place 8 pieces of bacon on a work surface. Brush one side of the yam slices with some of the maple syrup, then place each, syrup side down, on a piece of bacon. Brush the tops of the yam slices with some of the maple syrup and place the remaining pieces of bacon on them.
2. Preheat the grill (for instructions for using a contact grill, see page 3); if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill.
3. When ready to cook, lightly coat the grill surface with cooking oil spray. Using a spatula, transfer the bacon and yam slices to the hot grill, then close the lid. Grill the yams until the bacon is crisp and browned and the yams are tender inside (they’ll be easy to pierce with a knife), 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Transfer the yams to a platter or plates, pour the remaining maple syrup over them, and serve at once.
You’ll want to use an artisanal smoked bacon for this yam recipe. Vermont abounds with small smokehouses. One good brand that’s available by mail order is Harrington’s of Vermont (see page 396).
Once you get into rotisserie roasting, anything is fair game, even sweet potatoes. The gentle rotation and steady heat produce sweet potatoes with a crisp skin and an exceptionally buttery interior. The recipe here features a spicy Southwestern-style rub made with chile powder, cumin, and cinnamon. SERVES 4
For the best results, choose long, slender sweet potatoes or yams that will fit in the rotisserie basket. In our house, we’re partial to garnet yams, distinguished by their dark reddish-orange color and concentrated, rich-flavored flesh.
2 teaspoons pure chile powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 sweet potatoes (about 1½ pounds total)
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or butter, melted
Cooking oil spray
1. Place the chile powder, salt, pepper, cumin, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl and whisk to mix.
2. Scrub the sweet potatoes under cold running water and blot them dry with paper towels. Brush the sweet potatoes all over with the olive oil. Add the sweet potatoes to the bowl with the rub and stir to coat evenly.
3. Lightly coat a flat rotisserie basket with cooking oil spray. Arrange the sweet potatoes in the rotisserie basket so they will be perpendicular to the spit. Close the basket tightly.
4. When ready to cook, place the drip pan in the bottom of the rotisserie. Attach the basket to the rotisserie spit then attach the spit to the rotisserie and turn on the motor. If your rotisserie has a temperature control, set it to 400°F (for instructions for using a rotisserie, see page 14). Cook the sweet potatoes until they are crusty and golden brown on the outside and soft inside, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Use a skewer to test for doneness; it should pierce a sweet potato easily.
5. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a platter or plates and serve at once.
VARIATIONS: For sweet spit-roasted sweet potatoes with a candylike crust, mix ½ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon coarse salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a broad shallow bowl. Brush 4 long, slender sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Roll the sweet potatoes in the cinnamon sugar to coat them all over, then cook them in the rotisserie as described in Steps 3 and 4 at left.
Parmesan cheese brings out the savory qualities of sweet potatoes. Place ½ cup finely grated Parmesan in a large shallow bowl. Brush 4 long, slender sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and season them all over with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roll the sweet potatoes in the Parmesan to coat them all over, then cook them in the rotisserie as described at left.
Tomatoes are great for grilling. The searing heat caramelizes the tomato’s natural sugars. Tomatoes readily absorb the flavors of herbs and other seasonings, and their shocking red color looks terrific on a plate along with grilled poultry, seafood, or beef. The tomatoes can be grilled on any sort of indoor grill—for that matter, you could also smoke them in a stove-top smoker, as described in the Smoked Gazpacho recipe on page 51. SERVES 4 TO 6
6 plum tomatoes (about 1¼ pounds), cut in half lengthwise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and cracked black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage, plus 12 whole fresh sage leaves
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Arrange the tomato halves on the hot grill, cut side up, then close the lid. The tomatoes will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Arrange the tomato halves, cut side down, in the hot grill pan on a diagonal to the ridges. The tomatoes will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes per side. Rotate the tomatoes a quarter turn after grilling 2 minutes on the first side to create a handsome crosshatch of grill marks.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the tomato halves, cut side down, on the hot grate on a diagonal to the ridges. The tomatoes will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes per side. Rotate the tomatoes a quarter turn after grilling 2 minutes on the first side to create a handsome crosshatch of grill marks.
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Arrange the tomato halves, cut side down, on the hot grate on a diagonal to the ridges. The tomatoes will be done after cooking 5 to 7 minutes per side. Rotate the tomatoes a quarter turn after grilling 2 minutes on the first side to create a handsome crosshatch of grill marks.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Arrange the tomato halves, cut side down, on the hot grate on a diagonal to the ridges. The tomatoes will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes per side. Rotate the tomatoes a quarter turn after grilling 2 minutes on the first side to create a handsome crosshatch of grill marks.
1. Brush the tomato halves all over with olive oil. Season them generously all over with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the garlic and chopped sage over them. Press a whole sage leaf in the center of the cut side of each tomato half. Set any leftover olive oil aside.
2. Cook the tomatoes, following the instructions for any of the grills the box, until nicely browned.
3. Transfer the tomatoes to a platter or plates and drizzle any remaining olive oil over them. Serve at once.
VARIATIONS: This recipe calls for fresh sage because I like its earthy flavor and I also like the way the whole leaves look when grilled into the tomato halves. If you don’t like or can’t find sage, you can achieve a similar effect with small sprigs of fresh rosemary, tarragon, thyme, flat-leaf parsley, or another herb.
You can also grill small whole plum tomatoes this way. Skewer the sage leaves onto the tomatoes with wooden toothpicks.
Tofu and soy sauce are both made from soybeans, so it’s not surprising they come together in a dish that’s almost as popular in Japan as hot dogs are in the United States. If you find tofu bland, this sweet and salty made-from-scratch teriyaki sauce is your ticket. To round out the flavors, the tofu is dotted with toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions. SERVES 4 TO 6
• Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine. Depending upon where you live, you may find it at Asian markets, natural foods stores, or liquor stores. Or you can use another ½ cup of sake and add 1½ tablespoons of sugar.
• If you’re in a hurry, you can certainly use a commercial teriyaki sauce instead of making your own.
FOR THE TERIYAKI SAUCE:
1 scallion, white part only, trimmed and gently flattened with the side of a cleaver
1 clove garlic, peeled and gently flattened with the side of a cleaver
2 slices peeled fresh ginger (each ¼ inch thick)
½ cup sake
½ cup mirin (sweet rice wine)
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
FOR THE TOFU:
2 packages (about 2 pounds) extra-firm tofu, drained
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (see Note)
1 scallion, green part only, very thinly sliced crosswise
1. Make the teriyaki sauce: Place the scallion white, garlic, ginger, sake, mirin, and sugar in a small, heavy nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Let boil until reduced by about one quarter, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the soy sauce, reduce the heat to medium, and let the sauce continue to boil until syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Stir the cornstarch and water until smooth, then whisk into the simmering teriyaki sauce. Let the sauce continue to simmer for about 30 seconds; it should thicken slightly. Strain the teriyaki sauce into a heatproof bowl and let cool to room temperature. The teriyaki sauce can be made several hours or even a day ahead and refrigerated, covered. Let it return to room temperature before using.
3. Prepare the tofu: Cut each piece of tofu crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Place the tofu slices in a nonreactive baking dish just large enough to hold them in one layer. Pour two thirds of the teriyaki sauce over the tofu, turning it to coat both sides. Set the remaining teriyaki sauce aside. Let the tofu marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
4. Cook the tofu, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at right, until golden brown.
5. Transfer the tofu to a platter or plates and drizzle the reserved teriyaki sauce over it. Sprinkle the sesame seeds and scallion greens on top of the tofu and serve at once.
NOTE: To toast sesame seeds, place them in a dry cast-iron or other heavy skillet (don’t use a nonstick skillet for this). Cook the sesame seeds over medium heat until lightly browned, about 3 minutes, shaking the skillet to ensure that they toast evenly. Transfer the toasted sesame seeds to a heatproof bowl to cool.
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the tofu on the hot grill, then close the lid. The tofu will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Drain the tofu well, then place it in the hot grill pan. The tofu will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side. After it has cooled down, soak the grill pan in hot water to loosen any burnt-on teriyaki sauce.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the tofu on the hot grate. It will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the tofu on the hot grill. It will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the tofu on the hot grate. It will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
Some years ago my wife, Barbara, and stepdaughter, Betsy, became vegetarians. Their decision was temporary, but it did force me to serve barbecued tofu sandwiches on Super Bowl Sunday. A quick baste of butter and liquid smoke gives tofu the requisite smoky flavor. SERVES 4
Elephant garlic is just what it sounds like—a head of garlic that’s the size of a softball. It’s perfect for making grilled garlic chips. You don’t have to do this, but the chips really round out the sandwiches.
2 packages (about 2 pounds) extra-firm or firm tofu (see Notes), drained
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons liquid smoke (see box on page 179)
2 tablespoons of your favorite barbecue rub (for some options, see pages 362 through 364)
2 cloves elephant garlic, sliced very thinly crosswise
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
About ½ cup of your favorite barbecue sauce (for one option, see page 374)
8 Boston lettuce leaves
4 kaiser rolls or buns, split
1 luscious, ripe red tomato, thinly sliced
1 dill pickle, thinly sliced
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the tofu on the hot grill, then close the lid. The tofu will be done after cooking 4 to 7 minutes. You will need to turn the tofu when basting.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the tofu in the hot grill pan. It will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side. Take care not to drip a lot of barbecue sauce into the grill pan. After it has cooled down, soak the grill pan in hot water to loosen any burnt-on barbecue sauce.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the tofu on the hot grate. It will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the tofu on the hot grill. It will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the tofu on the hot grate. It will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
1. Cut each piece of tofu crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir in the liquid smoke. Lightly brush the slices of tofu on both sides with the butter mixture. Sprinkle the barbecue rub all over the tofu.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F; you’ll use it to brown the garlic (see Notes).
3. Place the garlic slices in a small bowl, add the olive oil, and toss to coat. Season the garlic with salt and pepper. Spread the slices of garlic out on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the garlic until crisp and golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Cook the tofu, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box, until sizzling and deeply browned, basting it with ¼ cup of the barbecue sauce when it has turned golden brown on both sides.
5. Place 2 lettuce leaves on the bottom half of each roll. Top with the grilled tofu, followed by some garlic, tomato, and pickle slices. Spoon the remaining ¼ cup of barbecue sauce over the tofu. Top with the other half of the roll and serve at once.
• You need extra-firm or firm tofu for this recipe, preferably not silken. You’re likely to find it in the produce section of the supermarket.
• If you have a contact grill you can brown the garlic slices on it instead of in the oven. Preheat the grill to high. The garlic will be done after 2 to 3 minutes. If you’re grilling the tofu on a contact grill, press the slices of garlic into the top and bottom of the slices of tofu and they will grill right into the tofu.
Tofu and miso are soy products that originally came from Asia. Tofu is sold in white or ivory-colored blocks; miso comes in the form of an aromatic paste. Both are used for grilling—tofu as grill fare itself; miso in glazes and barbecue sauces. Tofu and miso are mainstays of Japanese grilling and make valuable additions to any indoor griller’s repertory.
Native to China and wildly popular in Japan, many excellent brands of tofu are now made in North America. Tofu is also called bean curd—an apt metaphor, as to make it, soymilk is separated into “curds,” which are strained and pressed into the familiar cobblestone-shaped cakes.
There are two basic types of tofu: regular and silken. Regular tofu is firmer and drier than the soft and custardlike silken tofu. Regular tofu works the best for grilling, as silken is so creamy it tends to fall apart on the grill. Both regular and silken tofu come in several styles, including extra-firm, firm, and soft. Extra-firm is the sturdiest and best for grilling. (Many grill masters like to press tofu under a skillet for an hour or so to firm it up before grilling.) Tofu is available in the produce section of most supermarkets and, of course, in Asian markets and natural foods stores.
Miso is a highly nutritious, flavorful paste made from cultured (fermented) soybeans, grains, and salt. The mixture is aged in cedar kegs for a period of months or even years. The flavor is sui generis, but if you imagine the concentrated flavor of well-aged Parmesan cheese and the intense salty tang of a bouillon cube (only much better tasting) combined with the creamy richness of peanut butter, you will begin to get the idea.
Like tofu, miso comes in a variety of styles and grades, some sold in plastic tubs, others in plastic-wrapped pouches. Many come from Japan, but there are excellent misos made in North America. Look for them in the produce section of your supermarket, natural foods store, or at a Japanese market. Miso should be refrigerated and keeps for several months.
Some of the major styles of miso include:
• White miso (also called shiro miso) is a mild, white, sweet miso made from soybeans and white rice. Saikyo miso is a very sweet white miso that’s especially well suited to grilling.
• Yellow miso (also called shinshu miso) is similar to white miso but a little yellow in color and saltier in flavor.
• Brown rice miso (also called genmai miso) is made with soybeans, brown rice, and salt. It’s sandy colored, salty, and intensely flavored, thanks to being aged one and a half to two years.
• Red miso (also called aka miso) is a darker miso made with soybeans, rice, and salt. This is an all-purpose miso often used to make miso soup.
• Barley miso (also called mugi miso) is a dark, reddish brown miso made from soybeans, barley, and salt. It’s smooth to chunky in texture, with a rich, earthy flavor often described as having chocolate and coffee overtones.
Vegetarians, the health conscious, and lovers of Asian food need no inducement to eat tofu. Here’s a reason for the rest of us: Tofu absorbs spice and smoke flavors as readily as ribs or brisket do. This tofu “ham,” which is brined and smoked, has character, even soul—not to mention a depth of flavor that will take skeptics by surprise. You know the many health benefits of eating tofu. The taste is also pure pleasure. SERVES 4 TO 6
• The texture of the “ham” will vary depending on the sort of tofu you use. Silken tofu will have a creamy, almost custardy consistency. It’s extremely fragile, so you’ll need to handle it with care. Conventional tofu is drier and firmer. Both come in extra-firm and firm varieties, and both are delectable.
• You can also smoke the tofu in a wok. You’ll find instructions for doing this in the box on page 234.
2 cups cool water
¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon whole cloves
½ cinnamon stick (about 1½ inches)
2 bay leaves
2 strips lemon zest (each about ½ by 1½ inches)
2 packages (about 2 pounds) extra-firm or firm tofu, drained
Cooking oil spray (optional)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
1½ tablespoons cherry or apple wood sawdust
1. Place the water, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, mustard seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and lemon zest in a deep narrow mixing bowl and whisk until the salt and sugar dissolve.
2. Add the tofu, making sure it is completely submerged, and let brine in the refrigerator, covered, for 6 to 8 hours. You can also brine the tofu in a resealable plastic bag.
3. Set up the smoker (for instructions for using a stove-top smoker, see page 16). Place the sawdust in the center of the bottom of the smoker. Line the drip pan with aluminum foil and place it in the smoker. Lightly coat the smoker rack with cooking oil spray, or use a paper towel dipped in oil, and place the rack in the smoker. Drain the tofu well and blot dry with paper towels. Place the tofu on top of the smoker rack.
4. Cover the smoker and place it over high heat for 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium. Smoke the tofu until lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Transfer the smoked tofu to a plate and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the tofu until ready to serve, then cut it crosswise into thin slices. The smoked tofu can be served chilled or at room temperature. It can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 5 days.
Polenta is Italian cornmeal mush. If you think that sounds plebian, wait until you taste it grilled. In the old days, making polenta required an arm-numbing hour of stirring the polenta pot, and if you wanted to grill it, the polenta had to chill for a half day. Today, you can have grilled polenta in no time, thanks to the advent of ready-made polenta sold in plastic tubes. Serve grilled polenta as an appetizer or side dish, or pair it with the Grilled Tomato Sauce on page 372 for a satisfying main course. SERVES 4
Buy Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and grate it just before you are ready to use it. To grate the cheese in a food processor, cut it into ½-inch chunks. Then, using the metal chopping blade, add the chunks of cheese to the processor bowl while the motor is running.
1 package (18 ounces) precooked polenta
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup fresh finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (about 4 ounces), in a shallow bowl
Grilled Tomato Sauce (optional; page 372), for serving
1. Cut the polenta crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices and season each on both sides with salt and pepper. Brush each piece on one side with melted butter, then dip it into the Parmesan to thickly crust it, shaking off any excess. Brush the other side of the polenta rounds with melted butter, then dip this side in the Parmesan, again shaking off the excess. Place the Parmesan-crusted polenta on a plate lined with plastic wrap as they are coated.
2. Cook the polenta, following the instructions for any of the grills in the box at left, until it is golden brown and heated through. Use a metal spatula to turn the polenta.
3. Transfer the polenta rounds to a platter or plates. Sprinkle any remaining Parmesan on top and serve at once with the Grilled Tomato Sauce, if desired.
CONTACT GRILL: Preheat the grill; if your contact grill has a temperature control, preheat the grill to high. Place the drip pan under the front of the grill. When ready to cook, lightly oil the grill surface. Place the polenta rounds gently on the hot grill, then close the lid. The polenta will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes.
GRILL PAN: Place the grill pan on the stove and preheat it to medium-high over medium heat. When the grill pan is hot a drop of water will skitter in the pan. When ready to cook, lightly oil the ridges of the grill pan. Place the polenta rounds in the hot grill pan. They will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
BUILT-IN GRILL: Preheat the grill to high, then, if it does not have a nonstick surface, brush and oil the grill grate. Place the polenta rounds on the hot grate. They will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
FREESTANDING GRILL: Preheat the grill to high; there’s no need to oil the grate. Place the polenta rounds on the hot grill. They will be done after cooking 4 to 6 minutes per side.
FIREPLACE GRILL: Rake red hot embers under the gridiron and preheat it for 3 to 5 minutes; you want a hot, 2 to 3 Mississippi fire. When ready to cook, brush and oil the gridiron. Place the polenta rounds on the hot grate. They will be done after cooking 3 to 5 minutes per side.
