Spring Grilling time!
By Les Kincaid
Grilled Antipasto with Mediterranean Sauce
Soprano
Sauce:
6 anchovy fillets, drained and finely minced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon capers, drained and coarsely chopped
2/3 cup extra-virgin
Vegetables:
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and each cut into
4 long slices
4 medium zucchini, each cut into 4 long slices
2 small radicchio, cut into quarters
1 medium eggplant, cut into 4 long slices; then each slice cut in 1/2 widthwise
3 small bunches green onions, trimmed
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 pint small, ripe cherry tomatoes, tossed in a
bowl with a little oil
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Make
the Mediterranean Sauce: Combine the
anchovies, garlic and capers in a small bowl or a food processor. Slowly whisk
in the olive oil and season further with salt, if desired. Set aside.
Build a charcoal
fire or preheat gas grill.
Make the
vegetables: Lightly coat cut vegetables with oil and sprinkle with salt. One by
one lay the vegetable slices and green onions on the cooking grate over direct
medium heat. (Do this in batches if necessary so the grill is not crowded.)
Cook about 5 minutes. Turn the vegetables over. Cook 3 or 4 minutes longer. As
soon as vegetables are done, remove from grill and transfer to a platter: the
zucchini, radicchio and green onions should be done first; the eggplant will
take a little longer and the sweet potatoes will be the last to cook through.
While the vegetables are warm, coat with Mediterranean Sauce. Let cool to room
temperature and coat again if necessary.
When all the other
vegetables are done, place the tomatoes onto the cooking grate to mark and warm
through, about 2 minutes. Coat with Mediterranean Sauce and place onto the platter
with the other vegetables, if desired. Decorate with lemon wedges and serve at
room temperature.
Yield: 6
to 8 servings
GIANT
STEAKS WITH
4 3-inch thick steaks (your choice)
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1
teaspoon cumin seeds
1
teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon garlic
powder
1
teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 ounces canola oil
3 ounces clarified
butter
Chipotle
1/4 cup white onion
(diced small)
2 cloves garlic
(thinly sliced)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon tomato paste
4 chipotle chiles (in adobo)
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 chopped
cilantro
1/4 cup Sierra
Nevada Pale Ale
2 teaspoons ground
coriander
1
tablespoon canola oil
Creamed Spinach:
30 ounces cooked
chopped spinach
4 ounces shallots,
peeled and finely chopped
6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1
quart
heavy cream
12 ounces sweet
butter, refrigerated until ready to use
1 1/2 tablespoons
kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
To prepare the chile rub: use a small sauté pan and toast the ancho chile, the whole cumin and the whole coriander seeds
over medium heat on the stove. Next, grind the toasted spices in a spice
grinder and place with the other ingredients in a small bowl.
To season the
steaks mix the oil and the clarified butter on a serving dish and dredge the
steaks in the oil/butter. Allow the excess to drip off of the steaks and then
coat each side of the steaks with the spice rub before cooking.
CORN TOMATO & ZUCCHINI SALAD
6 ears of corn,
cooked
8 small vine
ripened tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small red onion
cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2
cup olive oil
1 tablespoon
mustard
2 1/2 tablespoons
white wine vinegar
4 medium zucchini,
seeded, cut into 3/4 inch thick half moons and parboiled for 1 minute
Washed lettuce
leaves
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, cut into slivers
Slice the kernels
off the corncobs and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Combine with the tomatoes
and red onion.
Make a dressing of
the olive oil mustard and vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the
vegetables and toss; marinate overnight. Right before serving, combine the
zucchini with the rest of the ingredients; transfer them to a platter lined
with lettuce and garnish with pitted olives.
Yield:
8 servings