Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/2371/-1/126/
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Eating My Words by Chef Daniel Orr
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A weekly Column by Chef Daniel Orr
Daniel Orr is Executive Chef at Kitchen Stadium, Santorini Restaurant, Famiglia and the Tapas Lounge and Rum bar at CuisinArt Resort & Spa and is working on “A Chef’s Diet” Cookbook and Cooking in Paradise.
The Thrill of the Grill
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Chef Daniel Orr
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Grilling is basically a healthy cooking method, especially if you grill vegetables and proteins with the skin and excess fat removed. Firm tofu can even be grilled!
I’ve included information on all sorts of meats. Just remember that if you go for the ribs make sure you don’t do it too often, and that you get up early the next morning to go for an extra-long walk!
Always use more charcoal than you think you need. There’s nothing worse than not having enough heat to give that good sear to the foods you’ll be cooking.
The fire waits for no one. Keep an eye on your coals and use them at their best. Coals are perfect when they have an even white ash around them - no black unburned coal and not too much red-hot burn. A general rule is:
* High heat (500×) - you can hold your hand 6 inches above for 3 seconds
* Medium high heat (400×) - 5 seconds
* Medium heat (350×) - 7 seconds
* Medium low heat (325×) - 10 seconds
* Low heat (300×) - 12 seconds
Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness - always check in the center of the thickest part of the item. Here are a few guidelines for cooking both outside on the grill or indoors.
* Chicken and turkey breast - 160×-165×
* Beef, lamb and duck - rare: 115×-125×; medium-rare: 125×-130×; medium:135×-145×; more than that a waste of time
* Veal and pork - 135×-145×
* Fish - this is a tricky one. Good quality tuna just needs a sear on all sides but in general the temperatures can be the same as for beef.
Don’t overcrowd the grill. A fire is like a living thing - it needs to be able to breathe or it will tire and go to sleep. Allow air to reach the fire so it will stay alive and happy.
Don’t move the food around all the time. Let it sit and color, then move it to the slow heat side of the grill. Try not to turn anything more than once or twice, depending on size and shape.
Place wet onion skins on the coals under meat or fish to add a sweet smoky flavor.
Use lemon grass, rosemary, sugarcane, wild fennel and other types of flavorful branches to use as skewers for meat, fish and vegetables. They add flavor and interest to anything on the grill.
Always build a fire to have a hot side and a warm side. That way you can “mark” on the hot side and slow-cook on the warm side. This maximizes flavor and prevents burning. Once items are marked move them to the warm side and cook, covered with the grill dome. This allows the food to pick up more smoky flavor.
Make a brush by tying rosemary and other herbs onto a chopstick or skewerand use this brush to “mop” or apply marinades and sauces to grilling items. This adds both flavor and romance!
I tie a clean cotton rag into a rolled cylinder, and then lightly oil it and squeeze out the excess. Holding it with long tongs, I use it to wipe off my hot grill. This cleans the grill as well as leaving a light coating of oil that prevents things from sticking.
Large pieces of meat (like a pork roast) can be rubbed with garlic, spices and herbs, rolled in aluminum foil, then pre-roasted in the oven until tender before finishing on the grill. When finishing I like to place the roast on the slow side of the grill, place wood chips on the hot side and cover with the dome so the meat gets a good smoky flavor.
Keep an open bottle of beer or wine next to the grill so you can pour some on the fire if it flames up. It adds flavor as well as keeping the fire under control.
Always cook the largest and longest-cooking items first, moving them to the warm side of the grill to finish. This way everything finishes at the same time.
Never place cooked items back on the trays that the raw food was on. You want your friends to have good memories of your party!
To add a touch of class to your BBQ - put fingerbowls out on the table - dishes of water with lemon or lime slices floating in them -for guests to dip their fingers in and squeeze the citrus to remove the grease and sauce before they go into your house and mess up the furniture! To add a little aromatherapy add a splash of orange flower or rose water to the bowls.
Good things to have around when grilling:
1. Good quality long handled spring-loaded tongs.
2. Large wide spatulas for fish and other items that tend to flake
3. Hot pad or dish towels
4. Long-handled pastry brush for sauces and marinades
5. Bamboo skewers, soaked so they don’t burn
6. A good wire grill brush
7. Plenty of ziplock bags - to use in place of bowls for marinating (saves on cleanup time) and for storage of leftovers.
Here’s an easy grilling recipe. I make garden burgers with whatever Franklyn “Doc” Brooks and Dr. Resh send me from the Spa’s organic and hydroponic gardens. Garden burgers are a great way to use up those lonely veggies in the fridge.
Anguillian Garden Burgers
Most of these items can be kept in your cupboard or pantry and you add fresh herbs and veggies that you have on hand. You can incorporate all types of stuff in these from corn kernels to sautéed zucchini or eggplant. Don’t forget to use organic and homegrown vegetables whenever possible. Remember - recipes are guidelines, so adapt them to your own taste. Have fun - don’t be afraid of flavor!
2 cans white beans, rinsed and drained
3 egg whites
_ cup olive oil
2 boxes falafel mix
1_ cups water
1 jalapeño (or your favorite chile), diced fine
2 cups cooked lentils, or whole grain like barley or wheat
berries
1 cup corn
1 cup cooked portobello mushrooms, roasted or sautéed and diced in
_-inch-cubes (if you’re in a hurry, use canned button mushrooms)
1 cup toasted nuts or sunflower seeds
5 scallions, chopped fine
2 tomatoes, diced fine
_ cup chopped herbs, such as a combination of basil, coriander, Italian
parsley and oregano
salt and pepper to taste
Place the beans, egg whites and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the falafel mix and water and pulse until mixture is bound.
Place the jalapeño, lentils, corn, mushrooms, nuts, scallions, tomatoes and herbs in a large bowl and fold in the bean mixture. Add water or some whole-wheat flour to moisten or bind as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Form into patties and chill until ready to grill.
Spray with nonstick olive oil spray and grill, sauté or broil until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side, depending on heat and thickness.
Serve open-faced on grilled garlic toast with cucumber and yogurt sauce, chickpea salad, red onion slices and sliced tomatoes.
Note: I like to add diced firm tofu to add a protein source.
For an even easier recipe use Mexican-style lowfat refried beans in place of the white beans, egg whites, and olive oil, and simply mix everything in a large bowl.
I’d love to hear from you. I am collecting recipes and stories for future articles and books and would love to include your favorite family recipes and food memories from the kitchen, the garden or the sea. You can reach me at
dorr@cuisinart.aior stop me on the road if you see the CuisinArt Chef Mobile.