Introduction

I admit that before working on this book, I was not an avid griller. I am no Bobby Flay and certainly not a Francis Mallmann. I never appreciated the smoke, nor the strong flavors of mesquite or charcoal, and I certainly didn’t appreciate charred or blackened meats. But once we began working on this book, and I started to experiment with various grills—the Argentine parrilla, the “egg,” the “dome,” the smoker, the gas-fired, the wood-fired, the campfire—I began to see the variety one can attain in flavors, and the unique timing and simplicity of cooking out in the open, away from the confines of a household kitchen.

Some of this book was photographed on the rooftop terrace of our office complex on West 26th Street in New York City, some of it on Long Island and in Brooklyn. We know from experience that these recipes work on a variety of grills. And we know they all taste very good, because we tested and tasted each one of them, and made them with readily available, fresh ingredients.

I spend a lot of time in Maine, where we now cook outdoors quite frequently. We roast corn, create massive paellas over wood fires, and carefully grill halves of lobsters, their sweet flesh bathed in tasty beurre blanc or herb sauce. We roast oysters and clams, grill pizzas, and, when the mood strikes, toss on some burgers and franks for an old-fashioned American cookout.

The techniques for grilling are few, but they should be taken seriously if you want the results to be A-plus. Make the perfect fire, have the temperature of the coals exactly right, prepare the food to be grilled meticulously, and get to work! You will find grilling to be fun, the food delicious. And remember, treat the meats and fish gingerly—no pressing, no compacting, no turning before one side is done!