The Art of Food: easy grilling recipes

Showing posts with label easy grilling recipes. Show all posts

And the winner is......

It’s been a bit hectic in the Bella Cucina kitchen these past few weeks preparing for the upcoming Fancy Food Show this week in DC. {will you be there? If so, drop by to have a taste of something good and say “hello”.} No excuses, but a wholehearted apology is in order for the delay announcing the WINNER of the Tuscan Grill.

The good news is, I feel so guilty that I’ve decided to sweeten the deal. In addition to the grande prize winner of the Tuscan Grill, I’m also giving away 5 autographed signed editions of my cookbook, La Bella Vita. See, worth the wait, wasn’t it?!

Thanks to all of you who have signed up to our Daily Sustenance newsletter. Although you might not have won anything this time, there’s sure to be some nice little offerings coming your way via our newsletter in the near future.

And now, without any more delay......

Grande Prize Winner of the Tuscan Grill:

Mark Hair

La Bella Vita Cookbook winners:
Deborah Woodward
Cheryl Owens- Long {ATL local!}
Mary Blair
Cy brcher
Angie Marchetti

congratulations to our bella winners!

Please be sure to send your address and phone number to alisa@bellacucina.com so we can get your goodies shipped to you piu presto!

buon appetito bellissimi!

Buon appetito! copyright 2012 Alisa Barry

Grilled Apricot + Radicchio Mint Salad

Grilled Apricots + Radicchio Mint Salad

6 Organic Artisan Apricots, cut in half and remove pits

 8-10 leaves of fresh mint

 2 small heads of radicchio

 1 teaspoon Tuscan Rose + Pink Peppercorn salt

 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

 2 Tablespoons Acacia Honey

 2 ounces Tuma cheese *

{*fresh mozzarella or fresh pecorino will also do well}

  Prepare the fire for the grill. Toss the apricot halves with 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil. Chiffonade {cut into thin strips} 4 of the mint leaves and sprinkle on the peach. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.  

  Cut the radicchio heads in half. You should have four pieces. Drizzle with 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  

  Place the apricots and radicchio on the grill. Don't move the fruit for a few minutes so they brown and caramelize, which will help them easily come off the grill. {about 1 -2 minutes}. Gently remove the apricots from the grill with a spatula to a cutting board or plate. Cut each half in 4 slices. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of the Acacia honey while they are still hot so they absorb some of the liquid. You can stop right here an enjoy the grilled apricots with a dollop of whipped cream or mascarpone mix with a bit of vanilla and organic sugar.

Or....keep going.   

The radicchio will be done on the first side when the edges of the leaves begin to brown. When the first side is nice and browned, turn over and grill the other side. The first side will take a bit longer {about 3-4 minutes}.The second side will take just a minute or two. Remove from the grill to a cutting board or plate and set aside to cool enough to handle.   Slice the tuma into 1/2 inch pieces. Place in a medium bowl. Chiffonade remaining 4 mint leaves and add to the bowl.   Cut the radicchio crosswise into 1/4 inch slices.  Add to the bowl with the apricots and gently toss. Drizzle with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of Saba and toss again, just until combined. Serve right away.   

We're Giving away a Tuscan Grill!

Yep, you heard it right! Just in time for summer, we're giving away a grill. Not just any grill, mind you. It's our original wood fire Tuscan Grill.
They're handforged in Tuscany, Italy by artisan metalsmiths. Use outdoors in a firepit or indoors in your fireplace.

We've got Alice Waters blessing and local Whole Foods stocking.

Don't miss this chance to win one of your own.

Here's how to enter to win {and spread the word}:

1. Sign up as as subscriber {ok, it also means that you'll get occasional emails, but if you love the Art of Food, I think you'll love what we send your way.}

2. Leave a comment on this site with a favorite grilling recipe.

3. We need a minimum of 100 new subscribers, so tell all of your favorite friends, family and fellow foodies what were up and how they can get in the game.

* We'll choose a winner on June 30th, 2010. Good luck! There's no purchase necessary, but we'd love it if you did.

And for more exciting news.........

We've got a special promotion for Father's day.

{Reminder, Father's Day is June 20th}

Order or buy a grill before June 20th and get a FREE autographed signed copy of my cookbook, La Bella Vita {$30 value}, a selection savory salt samples {$24 value} and a bundle of hickory and oak hard wood .

That's $50 worth of FREE goodies when you order a grill !

You can also call us to order at 800.580.5674. Mention the Father's Day promotion.

Pork Chops + Applesauce

Ever since I was a little girl, applesauce has been a favorite of mine.

When apples were in season, my mom made if from scratch from the small collection of green apple trees outback. My dad still occasionally makes a batch of applesauce and freezes a container for me {I'm sure it's really for him, but he politely gifts it to me if I'm around}.

Pork chops, on the other hand, were not a family favorite. They were thin and small and probably bought on sale. My mom cooked them to death and they had little flavor and the texture of shoe leather.

More applesauce please........

Things have changed since then. My pork chops are thick, marinated in a fresh sage sauce with herbs from the garden, and grilled over hardwood on the Tuscan Grill until cooked to perfection.

Another favorite is applewood smoked pork chops . They can be hard to find, but if you do, you'll fall in love. Yep, pork heaven. Who knew there was such a place? Now I do.

{Pork Chops + Applesauce}

For the applesauce:

4-5 fresh apples {fuji work well this time of year}

1/2 cup apple cider

1 sprig fresh sage

In a medium saucepan, heat the apples, juice and sage over medium heat just until boiling. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, covered, until apples are soft and easily smashed with a fork. This will take about 12-15 minutes.

For the pork chops:

4 pork chops, bone in

1 large handful of fresh sage leaves

1 clove of garlic

1/4 teaspoon Wild Oregano + Sage salt {or kosher salt}

1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

You can chop of the ingredients except the olive oil by hand or in a food processor. Add the olive oil until blended well, but the herbs still have texture. Coat the chops with the sage mixture and marinate for an hour or so, over overnight.

Grill over a hot hardwood fire, searing the outside, then cooking just until a bit still pink inside {it will continue cooking off the grill}. Serve with room temperature applesauce.

Buon appetito!

copyright 2010 Alisa Barry

Grilled Shrimp Spiedini with Salsa Verde

When the weather is this good and the sun stays out longer, I want to enjoy as much of the day as possible. Grilling out at dusk with a glass of wine in hand is my medicine for a relaxing spring evening.

Salsa Verde, an Italian green herb sauce, celebrates the abundance of herbs growing in the garden box.

I've included a recipe, but feel free to change it up depending on what you're cooking {fish, chicken, lamb, veggies} and what's growing in your garden.

Grilled Shrimp Spiedini with Salsa Verde

1 pound fresh shrimp

1 Tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

Remove the shells from the fish with the exception of the tail. Devein the shrimp by cut down the back of the body of the shrimp. Make the salsa verde. Toss the shrimp 1/4 cup of the salsa verde. Marinate a few hours or overnight.

Skewer the shrimp onto branches of rosemary skewers {about 3-4 shrimp per skewer.}

Season with salt and pepper. Grill over a medium wood fire just until pink.

Salsa Verde

½ cup parsley, leaves removed

1 handful of fresh mint leaves

2 Tbs. chives

1 tsp. oregano

2 Tbs. capers

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. sage leaves

2 Tablespoons champagne wine vinegar

zest and juice of one lemon

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp pepper

1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Combine all ingredients except the oil in the blender. Puree on high speed, slowly adding olive oil in a stream through the top of the blender. Puree until the mixture is smooth and emulsified.

Makes 3/4 cup

Shrimp + Citrus Spiedini on the Tuscan Grill

You'd be hard-pressed to find an easier recipe than this. I am lucky to have locally harvested shrimp from the coast of Georgia. Hopefully, you can find a seafood monger in your specialty store that will steer you right. This dish is also great with scallops.

Here are my 3 pre-requisites for easy recipes:
1. No major prep time required or easy to prep ahead
2. No elaborate assembly
3. Quick cooking - so I can enjoy the company I keep

yep, this one has it all.
And, its great for brunch, or as an appetizer for a cocktail party {simply make the skewers smaller} or a festive dinner for a crowd. Gather your friends around the grill and enjoy!

SHRIMP + CITRUS SPIEDINI

1# fresh shrimp, shells and tails intact {about 16 count per #}
5 Tablespoons olive oil
1 + 1/4 teaspoons Tuscan Rose & Pink Peppercorn salt
1 baguette of bread {a small one will do}
1/2 cup Blood Orange spread
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise {if you're ambitious, you can make your own, otherwise, use a good quality jarred variety}
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives

To Prepare the Shrimp:
Toss the shrimp with olive oil, salt and pepper until well-coated.

Cut the bread into 1 inch chunks and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil until well-coated. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

Skewer the shrimp and the bread, alternating shrimp and bread. You will use about 4 shrimp and 3 slices of bread for large skewers . {make sure to soak the skewers for at least 30 minutes before assembling. This will prevent the skewers from burning}.

NOTE: For cocktail size skewers, use about 2 shrimp and one piece of bread. You may also want to shell the shrimp and remove the tail first, especially if your guests are not sitting down at a table to eat.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the shrimp. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons of the chives.
Refrigerate until ready to grill. Bring to room temperature before grilling.

To Prepare the Sauce:
In a medium bowl, mix together the blood orange spread, garlic and mayonnaise until well combined. Fold in the chives. Taste seasoning and adjust as necessary.
Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Prepare your hardwood fire. Let the flames subside and adjust your setting, as needed. You want hot heat to sear in the flavor and cook the shrimp fast, so it stays moist. Remember, it will continue to cook after you take it off the grill.

Place the shrimp spiedini skewers on the grill and cook just until the shrimp are pink and the bread is lightly toasted. About 2-3 minutes on each side.

Remove from the grill and platter or plate up. Serve with the citrus sauce.

NOTE:
This dish is wonderful hot off the grill or room temperature. You can cook it ahead, especially for parties, but most of the fun usually happens around the grill.

Buon appetito!
copyright 2009 Alisa Barry

Tuscan Lemon + Rosemary Chicken under a brick

The Italians love to grill over hardwood. In the summertime, they typically cook over an open fire pit just off the kitchen. In the winter, they place a grill in their fireplace. {I have never seen a gas grill in Italy!} . One of the most interesting grilling techniques I have seen in Italy is cooking poultry under a brick. The Italians call this method of cooking under a brick "al mattone". Whether you use an actual brick or not is not important. The idea is to flatten out the chicken so the skin gets a nice crispy texture and the meat cooks fast and stays tender, juicy and moist. It's really easy from start to finish and a great staple for the seasonal summer menu repetoire.

TUSCAN LEMON + ROSEMARY CHICKEN

1 whole chicken, preferably organic + free range
4 wedges preserved lemons
4 sprigs of fresh rosemary, needles removed from stem
4 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon crushed pepperocini chili flakes
1/2 Tablespoon sea salt
1/8 Tablespoon cracked black pepper

Cut the chicken lengthwise through the breast bone {versus down the back} or have your butcher prepare it for you. {The butchers at Whole Foods are great at these kinds of things and are usually very glad to help.} To prepare the marinade for the chicken, place the lemons, garlic, rosemary and olive oil in a blender. Blend the ingredients on low speed, just until coarsely chopped. Refrigerate until ready to use. {This can be prepared up to 3 days in advance.}

To prepare the marinated chicken, open up the chicken and place in a shallow platter,skin side down. Rub the chicken with 1/3 of the marinade. Season with 1/2 of the chili flakes, salt, pepper. Turn the chicken over and rub the remaining 2/3 marinade over the chicken to coat the skin. Season with the rest of the chili flakes, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, prepare your fire for the grill. The fire should be hot, but the flames should have subsided.
Place flattened chicken on grill, skin side up. Make sure it is placed on a lower heat side of the grill, as you don’t want the chicken to burn before it is thoroughly cooked.
Top with tinfoil covered bricks {you will need about two} or a heavy weight lid or ceramic platter to flatten the chicken. {a cast iron pan will work nicely}.

Cook about 8-10 minutes. Carefully remove bricks, turn the chicken over and cook on the other side, placing bricks back on top of the chicken. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes. The skin should be lightly charred and the chicken should be flattened. Test the temperature at the thigh if you are unsure about the doneness. The temperature should be about 160 degrees.

Carefully remove from the grill and let rest 5-10 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve with fresh lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

NOTE:
I especially like cooking this recipe over the hard wood Tuscan grill because it add so much flavor to the dish. The high heat creates a crispy-textured skin. The hard wood adds lots of flavor throughout the entire chicken. This is a great recipe for easy entertaining, too. {p.s. great father's day gift!}