Makes 2 cups. Published July 1, 1997.
This is a classic pepper-spiked vinegar sauce, without tomatoes.
| 1 | cup distilled white vinegar |
| 1 | cup cider vinegar |
| 1 | tablespoon granulated sugar |
| 1 | tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes |
| 1 | tablespoon hot pepper sauce |
| Table salt and ground black pepper |
Mix all ingredients, including salt and pepper to taste, in medium bowl.
Makes 2 cups. Published July 1, 1997.
| 1 | tablespoon vegetable oil |
| 1/2 | medium onion , minced |
| 2 | medium cloves garlic , minced |
| 1/2 | cup cider vinegar |
| 1/2 | cup Worcestershire sauce |
| 1 | tablespoon dry mustard |
| 1 | tablespoon dark brown sugar |
| 1 | tablespoon paprika |
| 1 | teaspoon table salt |
| 1 | teaspoon cayenne pepper |
| 1 | cup ketchup |
Last night was the final straw, or the day I finally threw my hands in the air and declared that a proper introduction to grilled pizza will probably have to wait until next summer. (Fortunately, Jen and Dietsch at Last Night’s Dinner won’t make you wait that long.) I have had this grilled eggplant and olive pizza on the agenda even since I spied it in this month’s Gourmet and knew that it immediately needed to get in my belly. Four days later (a typical time lag these days from “idea” to “execution”, sadly) I had the ingredients amassed, the energy to give it a try and even a friend’s yard to grill in, thus of course, the weather went downhill. But I persevered, climbing into the far reaches of our linen closet where we stash kitchen stuff that doesn’t get much use (whispering hello to my 12-inch wedding cake pans and canneler molds), unearthing my cast iron panini pan (hey, close enough, right?) and setting to grill to my heart’s content, weather be damned.
And despite the fact that I generally feel indoor grilling is a sham — once you remove the smoldering charcoal flavor, the sun on your shoulders and the beer bottle condensating on a weathered picnic table, what’s left that’s worthwhile? — it was going along swimmingly, that is, until Alex came home and declared it “partly cloudy” in our apartment; whoops! Anyway, smoky plumes emanating from the kitchen aside, if this pizza can be this good cooked on a shoddy indoor grill pan, I can only imagine how dreamy it will be seared over fire in your backyard or on your rooftop this weekend. Smoky eggplant, briny olives and blistered bubbles of provolone… my friends, what are you waiting for?
One year ago: Grilled Eggplant with Caponata Salsa, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes
Two years ago: Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake
Grilled Eggplant and Olive Pizza
Adapted from Gourmet, August 2009
This recipe defies many of the things that I usually preach about pizza, namely that I generally go for pizzas that are thinner and less overloaded with toppings. You’re also more likely to get the results you want from them on a grill or in an oven. But this one — with its pre-grilled eggplant slices piled thick and melty and blistering-prone provolone — has got me rethinking my thin pizza biases because it’s hearty, smoky and delicious.
Makes 4 hearty dinner servings, or 9 appetizer-size portions
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pound eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch-thick rounds
1 pound store-bought pizza or homemade pizza dough at room temperature (1 1/2 of this recipe will yield a 1-pound dough)
5 ounces sliced provolone, cut into short thin matchsticks (1 1/4 cups)
Handful pitted green olives, coarsely chopped (1/3 cup)
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
To make this pizza on a grill, or in a grill pan: Stir together garlic and oil. Brush some of garlic oil on both sides of eggplant and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Grill over direct medium heat, covered, turning once, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes total. Cut into roughly one-inch pieces and set aside.
Stretch dough into about a 12- by 10-inch rectangle (or into the shape of your grill pan, which in my case, was square) on a large baking sheet or your counter and lightly brush with garlic oil. Oil grill rack, then put dough, oiled side down, on grill. Brush top with more garlic oil. Grill, covered, until underside is golden-brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Using tongs, return crust, grilled side up, to baking sheet. Scatter eggplant, cheese, olives, and parsley (whoops, forgot mine) over crust. Slide pizza from sheet onto grill and grill, covered, until underside is golden-brown and cheese is melted, about 3 to 5 minutes. (If you’re using an oven-safe grill pan, you can slide the pan into a preheated 500 degree oven at this point, as we did, which gets the toppings that much more blistered.) Season to taste with salt, pepper and a red pepper flakes.
To make this pizza in the oven: You can either fry or roast the eggplant slices, brushed with garlic oil, until tender. Prepare the pizza as you would any other, rolling or stretching out the dough, mounding on the toppings and sliding it onto a baking sheet or pizza stone in an oven that has been preheated to its top temperature. It will be ready in about 10 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6. Published September 1, 2005.
The chicken and vegetables in these fajitas are only mildly spicy. For more heat, include the jalapeño seeds and ribs when mincing. Although the chicken and vegetables have enough flavor to stand on their own, accompaniments (guacamole, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, and/or lime wedges) can be offered at the table. The chicken tenderloins can be reserved for another use or marinated and cooked along with the breasts.
| 1/3 | cup lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes) |
| 6 | tablespoons vegetable oil |
| 3 | medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon) |
| 1 | tablespoon Worcestershire sauce |
| 1 1/2 | teaspoons brown sugar |
| 1 | jalapeño chile , seeds and ribs removed, chile minced |
| 1 1/2 | tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves |
| Table salt and ground black pepper | |
| 3 | boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed of fat, tenderloins removed, breasts pounded to 1/2-inch thickness |
| 1 | large red onion (about 14 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (do not separate rings) |
| 1 | large red bell pepper (about 10 ounces), quartered, stemmed, and seeded |
| 1 | large green bell pepper (about 10 ounces), quartered, stemmed, and seeded |
| 8 - 12 | plain flour tortillas (6-inch) |
1. In medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, 4 tablespoons oil, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Reserve 1/4 cup marinade in small bowl; set aside. Add another teaspoon salt to remaining marinade. Place chicken in marinade; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.
2. Adjust one oven rack to upper-middle position (about 8 inches from heating element) and second rack to lower-middle position; heat broiler.
3. Brush both sides of onion rounds and peppers with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange onion rounds and peppers (skin sides up) in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Wrap tortillas securely in foil in two packets, each containing half of tortillas.
4. Remove chicken from marinade and pat dry with paper towels; discard marinade. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Swirl oil to coat skillet, then arrange chicken smooth side down in skillet in single layer; cook without moving chicken, until well browned, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken; continue to cook until second sides are well browned, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, turning chicken once or twice, until chicken is no longer pink when cut into with paring knife or instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 160 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate and let rest 5 minutes.
5. While chicken is cooking, place baking sheet with vegetables in oven on upper rack; place tortilla packets on lower rack. Broil vegetables until spottily charred and peppers are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, transfer peppers to cutting board. Flip onion rounds and continue to broil until charred and tender, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Turn off broiler and remove vegetables, leaving tortillas in oven until needed.
6. Separate onions into rings and place in medium bowl; slice bell peppers lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips and place in bowl with onions. Add 2 tablespoons reserved unused marinade to vegetables and toss well to combine. Slice chicken into 1/4-inch strips and toss with remaining 2 tablespoons reserved marinade in separate bowl; arrange chicken and vegetables on large platter and serve with warmed tortillas.
Serves 8. Published July 1, 1999.
Although it was originally made with skirt steak, this combination of steak and vegetables grilled and then wrapped in warm tortillas is the dish that put flank steak on the culinary map in the United States. The ingredients go on the grill in order as the fire dies down: steak over a hot fire, vegetables over a medium fire, and tortillas around the edge of the medium to low fire just to warm them.
| Chunky Guacamole | |
| 3 | medium avocados (preferably Hass) |
| 2 | tablespoons minced onion |
| 1 | medium clove garlic , minced |
| 1 | small jalapeño chile , minced (1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons) |
| 1/4 | cup minced fresh cilantro leaves |
| 1/4 | teaspoon table salt |
| 1/2 | teaspoon ground cumin (optional) |
| 2 | tablespoons lime juice |
Classic Red Table Salsa | |
| 3 | large vine-ripened tomatoes (about 2 pounds), diced small |
| 1/2 | cup tomato juice |
| 1 | small chipotle chile , minced (about 2 tablespoons) |
| 1 | medium red onion , diced small |
| 1 | medium clove garlic , minced |
| 1/2 | cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves |
| 1/2 | cup lime juice from 4 medium limes |
| Table salt | |
Fajitas | |
| 1 | flank steak (about 2 1/2 pounds) |
| 1/4 | cup lime juice from 2 medium limes |
| Table salt and ground black pepper | |
| 1 | very large onion , peeled and cut into half-inch slices |
| 2 | very large red bell peppers or green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into large wedges |
| 16 | plain flour tortillas (10-inch) |
Chunky Guacamole
1. Halve one avocado, remove pit, and scoop flesh into medium bowl. Mash flesh lightly with onion, garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, salt, and cumin (if using) with tines of a fork until just combined.
2. Halve and pit remaining two avocados, and prepare. Gently scoop out avocado into bowl with mashed avocado mixture.
3. Sprinkle lime juice over diced avocado and mix entire contents of bowl lightly with fork until combined but still chunky. Adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary, and serve. (Can be covered with plastic wrap, pressed directly onto surface of mixture, and refrigerated up to one day. Return guacamole to room temperature, removing plastic wrap at the last moment, before serving).
Classic Red Table Salsa
4. Mix all ingredients, including salt to taste, in medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate to blend flavors, at least 1 hour or up to 5 days.
Fajitas
5. For Charcoal Grill:Ignite about 7 quarts charcoal and burn until coals are completely covered with thin coating of light-gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Pile coals on one-half of grill bottom, position grill rack and heat until very hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill surface for 2 seconds). For Gas Grill: Turn all burners on gas grill to high, close lid, and heat grill until hot, 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Generously sprinkle both sides of steak with lime juice, salt and pepper; place directly over coals or on gas grill grate and grill until well-seared and dark brown on first side, 5 to 7 minutes (4 to 6 minutes, covered, on gas grill). Flip steak using tongs; continue grilling on second side until interior of meat is slightly less done than you want it to be when you eat it, 2 to 5 minutes (3 to 5 minutes on gas grill) more for medium-rare (depending on heat of fire and thickness of steak). Transfer meat to cutting board; cover loosely with foil, and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Slice very thin, on bias against the grain; adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper.
7. When charcoal fire has died down to medium or gas grill burners are adjusted to medium (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill surface for 4 seconds), grill onions and peppers, turning occasionally, until onions are lightly charred, about 6 minutes, and
peppers are streaked with dark grill marks, about 10 minutes. Remove onions and peppers from grill and cut peppers into long, thin strips; set aside. Arrange tortillas around edge of
grill; heat until just warmed, about 20 seconds per side. (Do not dry out tortillas or they get brittle; wrap tortillas in towel to keep warm.) Remove to platter; set aside.
Serving Fajitas
8. Arrange sliced meat and vegetables on large platter; serve immediately, with tortillas, salsa, and guacamole passed separately.
Serves 4 to 6. Published July 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.
Depending on the steak’s size, you may have between 8 and 12 pinwheels of stuffed meat at the end of step 2. Freezing the steak for 30 minutes will make butterflying easier. You will need both wooden skewers and twine for this recipe.
| 2 | medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons) |
| 1 | small shallot , minced (about 2 tablespoons) |
| 2 | tablespoons fresh parsley leaves , finely minced |
| 1 | teaspoon sage leaves , finely minced |
| 2 | tablespoons olive oil , plus extra for oiling grate |
| 1 | flank steak (2- to 2 1/2-pounds) (see note) |
| 4 | ounces thinly sliced prosciutto |
| 4 | ounces thinly sliced provolone |
| 8 - 12 | skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes |
| Kosher salt and ground black pepper |
1. Combine garlic, shallot, parsley, sage, and olive oil in small bowl. Following illustrations below, butterfly and pound flank steak into rough rectangle. With steak positioned so that grain runs parallel to edge of counter and opened side faces up, spread herb mixture evenly over surface of steak. Lay prosciutto evenly over steak, leaving 2-inch border along top edge. Cover prosciutto with even layer of cheese, leaving 2-inch border along top edge. Starting from bottom edge and rolling away from you, roll beef into tight log and place on cutting board seam-side down.
2. Starting ½ inch from end of rolled steak, evenly space 8 to twelve 14-inch pieces of butcher’s twine at 1-inch intervals underneath steak. Tie middle string first; then working from outermost strings toward center, tightly tie roll and turn tied steak 90 degrees so seam is facing you. Skewer beef directly through outermost flap of steak near seam through each piece of string, allowing skewer to extend ½ inch on opposite side. Using chef’s knife, slice roll between pieces of twine into 1-inch-thick pinwheels. Season pinwheels lightly with kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Light large chimney starter nearly full with charcoal (5 quarts, about 80 briquettes); allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Build modified two-level fire by arranging all coals over half of grill, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat rack until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush. Dip wad of paper towels in oil; holding wad with tongs, wipe cooking grate. Grill is ready when side with coals is hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grate for 2 to 3 seconds).
4. Grill pinwheels directly over hot side of grill until well browned, 3 to 6 minutes. Using tongs, flip pinwheels; grill until second side is well browned, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer pinwheels to cooler side of grill, cover, and continue to cook until center of pinwheels registers 125 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 1 to 4 minutes (slightly thinner pinwheels may not need time on cooler side of grill). Transfer pinwheels to large plate, tent loosely with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Remove and discard skewers and twine and serve immediately.
Serves 4. Published July 1, 2007.
This recipe works best with small potatoes that are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. If using medium potatoes, 2 to 3 inches in diameter, cut potatoes into quarters. If potatoes are larger than 3 inches in diameter, cut each potato into eighths. Since potatoes are cooked in microwave, use wooden skewers.
| Vegetable oil for grill rack | |
| 4 | tablespoons olive oil |
| 9 | medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 3 tablespoons) |
| 1 | teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary |
| Kosher salt | |
| 2 | pounds Red Bliss potatoes (about 18), scrubbed, halved, and skewered according to illustration below (see note above) |
| Ground black pepper | |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh chives |
1. Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until very hot, about 15 minutes. Use grill brush to scrape grill clean; oil cooking grate. Leave primary burner on high and reduce other burner(s) to medium.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in small skillet over medium heat until sizzling, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until garlic is light blond, about 3 minutes. Pour mixture through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl; press on solids. Measure 1 tablespoon solids and 1 tablespoon oil into large bowl and set aside. Discard remaining solids but reserve remaining oil.
3. Place skewered potatoes in single layer on large microwave-safe plate and poke each potato several times with skewer. Brush with 1 tablespoon strained oil and season liberally with salt. Microwave on high power until potatoes offer slight resistance when pierced with tip of paring knife, about 8 minutes, turning them halfway through cooking time. Transfer potatoes to baking sheet coated with 1 tablespoon strained oil. Brush with remaining tablespoon strained oil; season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Place potatoes on hotter part of grill. Cook, with lid down, turning once, until grill marks appear, about 4 minutes. Move potatoes to cooler part of grill; and continue to cook with lid down until paring knife slips in and out of potatoes easily, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Remove potatoes from skewers and transfer to bowl with reserved garlic/oil mixture; add chives and toss until thoroughly coated. Serve immediately.
Some time ago, I happened upon a dish called ‘Suya‘. It looked utterly fantastic! Not having heard of it before, I googled it. Found several recipes and -even though most of them were different- they all had one thing in common; simplicity. Later on I learned Suya is a very popular Nigerian barbecued street food that you can mainly find at night.
Now depending on where you live, you may call this satay, kabob or even simply ‘meat on a stick’. However, what makes Suya stand out from all those other grilled ’meat sticks’ is the use of a special peanut spice rub. It gives the chicken (or meat) a unique flavor, fragrance and texture.
The ingredients are simple and pure -precisely how I like it- but don’t let the simplicity fool you because it’s one of the most flavorful ways to prepare chicken/meat. Because of the simpleness you should have no problem assembling the ingredients, no matter where you live. Chances are, you already have everything you need in your pantry.
Over time I tweaked the ingredients a bit, so what you see here is the recipe as I like it best. Just add or subtract whatever you like.
