Fabulicious!: On the Grill Read online

  Also, don’t use the same plates that you used to carry the raw meat out to the grill to pile it on after it’s cooked. You can use two separate plates, or line one plate with waxed paper, put the raw meat on top, then just throw the paper away so the plate underneath is clean and ready to transport the cooked meat. Same goes for utensils. Once the food is on the grill, you should wash the tongs that handled the raw food before using them again to turn the cooked food.

  Now that you know everything about your outdoor kitchen, let’s get some food on that grill!

  CHAPTER 2

  Antipasti (Appetizers)

  La cucina piccola fa la casa grande.

  Literally: “A small kitchen makes the house big.”

  What it means: “The best things in life are free.”

  The key to starting any party—or even any meal for Italians!—is the first course, the antipasti, which literally means “before the meal.” It’s beyond important because it’s how you greet your guests, how you show you’ve been preparing for them and prepping for their arrival with love. It sets the tone for the entire event, both in mood and appetite.

  While some people serve hors d’oeuvres on individual china plates in the dining room, Italians prefer to put out big platters of antipasti to keep people moving around, walking, talking, drinking, and socializing—especially in the warm summer months when we can be outside. We typically put the antipasti on the bar or tables near the grill so everyone can talk to whomever is cooking the food, and no one is left out or off to the side. So you can see why I don’t mind grilling. At our house, it’s not a thankless, sweaty job in the corner; it’s more like a master-of-ceremonies position!

  To tell you the truth, I more than don’t mind. I really love doing the actual grilling myself. No joke, I was just outside last night at two in the morning with Joe grilling up some burgers. The women in my family are proud that we can work the grill as well as the guys can. My very first grill was actually my bridal shower present from my mother-in-law!

  * * *Formaggio Is for Lovers* * *

  Italian cheese is no joke. In fact, they take it so seriously in Italy that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forests decides—based on specific ingredient and quality standards—which cheeses from which regions can be labeled as “official.” These cheeses are considered so important to the culture of Italy that they are given “protected” status by the government.

  Buying imported Italian cheese is like buying imported Italian fashion. Sometimes you just gotta have it and spend the money, but other times, a knockoff is just as good. Don’t feel like you always have to drive across town and pay twenty-five dollars per pound for imported Italian cheese. I’d go authentic when the cheese will be eaten on its own, like on a meat-and-cheese platter, but when it will be added to an already strongly flavored dish, American-made equivalents will do just fine. There are wonderful cheeses from Wisconsin and California. To keep the cost of cooking down, I list “Parmesan” in these recipes, but feel free to substitute with Parmigiano-Reggiano if you like.

  Here are the most popular cheeses that are easily available in America, that taste amazing, and that you’ll find over and over in my recipes:

  Asiago

  A white cheese with small holes, asiago is a smooth, mild cheese with a slight tang (it gets tangier the more it ages). It is a good substitute for Parmesan cheese.

  Burrata

  Named for the Italian word for “buttered,” burrata is a hollow pocket of soft cheese that resembles fresh buffalo mozzarella on the outside, but has a creamy, curdy cheese that resembles ricotta on the inside. Created in Puglia—the “heel” of Italy—to use up the “extra bits” left behind from making other cheese, burrata is delicious all by itself, but is also great in salads, on pizza, and even as dessert. Just drizzle some honey and put some nuts on it for a very fast and yummy way to end dinner.

  Fontina Valle d’Aosta

  One of the all-time great Italian cheeses. A light yellow, creamy cheese, fontina is mild tasting with an earthy, slightly nutty taste. You can find domestic “fontina” cheeses, which are also really good.

  Gorgonzola

  A semisoft, creamy blue cheese, Gorgonzola has a strong aroma and taste but a sweet aftertaste. Italian Gorgonzola comes in two varieties: Dolce is smooth and creamy, and piccante is firm and crumbly. If you are given a choice, buy the kind that suits the recipe at hand. For example, for a salad or pizza, choose piccante because it crumbles best. For most cooking, the American Gorgonzola, which strikes a middle ground between the two Italian varieties, is perfect.

  Mozzarella

  A bright-white cheese with a smooth, wet, silky texture, mozzarella has a very mild, milky flavor. When I want a treat, I use fresh mozzarella, which is usually shaped in balls and packed in water. When the balls are small, they are called baby bocconcini (pronounced bok-on-CHEE-nee, Italian for “little mouthfuls”) or ciliegine (chee-LAY-gee-nie, meaning “little cherries”). The firmer supermarket “pizza-style” mozzarella is fine, too, and it melts beautifully.

  Parmigiano-Reggiano

  The great-grandfather of the American version we call Parmesan (which has two-thirds more salt than its Italian ancestor) and considered “the king of cheeses” in Italy, Parmigiano-Reggiano is a hard, crumbly, light-yellow cheese with a sharp nutty and fruity taste. This is one of the protected cheeses of Italy; you can’t call cheese “Parmigiano-Reggiano” unless it is made in the designated area around Parma. This is one reason why it is more expensive, but worth it.

  Pecorino Romano

  A white cheese with a straw-yellow tinge, Pecorino Romano is a bold, peppery, nutty cheese that grates beautifully. It is made from sheep’s milk and is a lot sharper than “Parm.”

  Provolone

  Most often served in America in slices, provolone is a semihard-but-smooth white cheese with a mild, smoky flavor. (Aged provolone can get very sharp tasting and crumbly, though.)

  Ricotta

  It’s technically not a cheese, but a dairy product made from the whey left over from cheese. Ricotta means “recooked,” which is what happens to the whey to firm it up. Ricotta is white, soft, creamy, and slightly sweet.

  PREPPING MAKES PERFECT

  No matter what you’re making for each course, make sure that you’re good and prepped. Have all the ingredients you need collected, and cleaned, chopped, diced, shredded, and ready to be added to your dish before you start cooking it, especially since your “oven” is farther away from your refrigerator or sink than you’re used to. There’s nothing worse than scrambling to peel garlic while your steak shrinks into a charred hockey puck. You can’t be everyplace at once, so have all you need right next to you at the grill.

  * * *Teresa’s Tips for Great Grilling* * *

  —Have an extra gas tank on hand—but not stored near the grill—in case you run out mid-sear.

  —Always let the grill preheat for between ten and fifteen minutes before you start cooking.

  —Never leave a lit grill completely unattended, especially around children.

  —Don’t let your kids near the grill, period.

  —Don’t rush. Nice and slow, nice and low is better than hot and burned.

  —Relax! It’s definitely not a good idea to get ripped while you’re roasting—it’s dangerous for you and the food—but a glass of wine or a cold beer while you’re basting is almost an Italian tradition.

  Kale and Pancetta Bruschetta

  Makes 8 servings

  Most Americans don’t regularly grill bread; they reserve the grate for meat and the occasional veggie. But toasted bread was originally made crispy over open flames, not in a little metal box. In fact, bruschetta got its name from the fact that it’s supposed to be cooked on a grill. If you’ve never made it this way—and even if you have—you are in for a treat. My version marries bold kale with smooth pancetta. This recipe works with broccoli rabe standing in for the kale, too.

  Kale:

  2 pounds kale, eithe
r dark green curly or the “Tuscan” variety

  ⅓ cup diced (¼-inch cubes) pancetta

  1 tablespoon olive oil

  1 small onion, chopped

  2 garlic cloves, minced

  ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

  Salt

  2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice

  Bruschetta:

  1 loaf crusty Italian bread, cut into about 24 (¼-inch-thick) slices

  Extra-virgin olive oil

  Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

  1. To cook the kale: Tear the kale leaves from the thick stems; discard the stems. A few at a time, stack the leaves and cut crosswise into strips about ½ inch thick. Wash the strips well in a large sink of cold water (kale is gritty). Lift up the strips and transfer to a colander, leaving any grit behind in the sink. Do not dry the kale.

  2. Heat the pancetta and oil together in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until the pancetta is crisp and browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to paper towels, leaving the fat in the pan.

  3. Add the onion to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. In two or three additions, stir in the kale, letting the first addition wilt before adding more. Return the pancetta to the skillet. Stir in the red pepper flakes and season with salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is very tender, adding a few tablespoons of water if the liquid cooks away, about 20 minutes. During the last 5 minutes, stir in the tomatoes. Reduce the heat to very low and cover to keep warm.

  4. Meanwhile, preheat the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (400°F).

  5. To make the bruschetta: Brush the bread slices on both sides with the oil. Place on the cooking grate and close the grill lid. Cook, turning as needed, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove the bread slices from the grill.

  6. Spoon the kale mixture on the bread slices. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve hot.

  * * *Bruschetta vs. Crostini* * *

  While both are slices of toasted bread topped with cheese, vegetables, or meat, there is a difference between bruschetta and crostini. Bruschetta, from the Italian bruscare, which means to “roast over coals,” is made with large slices of bread, brushed with olive oil and toasted on a grill over open flames (like we’re doing here). Sometimes the toasted bread is rubbed with garlic before topping. Crostini or “little toasts” in Italian, are cut from a thinner loaf of bread (such as a baguette), and they can be baked or grilled until they are crisp and crunchy.

  Whichever one you’re serving, be sure to get started with a loaf that doesn’t have too many holes in it, or your yummy topping will fall through.

  * * *Toast Toppings* * *

  Now that you know the fundamentals of making bruschetta and crostini, you can personalize them in your own style. Here are some of my favorite toppings:

  —Homemade Pesto (page 161)

  —Store-bought sun-dried tomato pesto

  —Olivada (page 42)

  —Quartered figs (raw or grilled) and Gorgonzola

  —Canned tuna (preferably imported Italian in olive oil), mashed with capers, lemon juice, and red onion

  —Prosciutto and roasted red peppers

  —Italian sausage, chopped basil, and fontina

  —Grilled Marinated Portobello Mushrooms (page 48), sliced

  —Ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes finely chopped with olive oil, basil, and garlic

  —Artichoke hearts, chopped, mixed with lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and asiago cheese

  —Fresh mozzarella marinated overnight in olive oil with garlic and fresh herbs

  You can even make tiny toasts for dessert:

  —Mascarpone and sliced fresh peaches, nectarines, or cherries

  —Nutella and banana slices

  —Sliced strawberries marinated in Grand Marnier

  —Dark chocolate sprinkled with coarse sea salt

  Tuscan White Bean Crostini

  Makes 16 slices of crostini, 6 to 8 servings

  In Italy, we love our beans. We serve them for appetizers (just like this spread), in salads, and even in sweet bean cakes! If they’re not part of your weekly diet, you should change that now. You can begin with this starter. This spread can be made in a flash with things you probably have in the kitchen anyway. You can also serve it with any kind of cracker, or even as a dip for veggies (red bell pepper strips are especially tasty).

  Bean Spread:

  1 (15.5-ounce) can white kidney beans (cannellini), drained and rinsed

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, plus more for serving

  1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

  2 garlic cloves, minced

  ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

  ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil,

  plus more for drizzling

  Salt

  Crostini:

  16 (¼-inch-thick) slices baguette

  Extra-virgin olive oil

  1. To make the bean spread: Purée the beans, basil, lemon juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a food processor. With the machine running, add the oil. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to a bowl. (The bean spread can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

  2. Meanwhile, preheat the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (400°F).

  3. To make the crostini: Brush the bread slices on both sides with the oil. Place the bread slices on the cooking grate and close the grill lid. Cook, turning as needed, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Remove the bread slices from the grill.

  4. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the bean spread on each crostini. Drizzle with additional oil, sprinkle with the additional basil, and serve.

  Olivada

  Makes about 1¼ cups, 8 servings

  You know by now that the Giudices love (in no particular order) garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, olives, anchovies, and fresh herbs. Olivada, a black olive spread, has them all! It’s one of those things that you should make according to your taste with as much pepper, garlic, or anchovies as you like (or love!). Stashed in the refrigerator, it keeps for a few weeks, ready to be spread on bruschetta, spooned onto tomatoes for a quick salad, stirred into vinaigrette to perk up dressing, or tossed with a little spaghetti.

  2 garlic cloves, crushed under the flat side of a knife and peeled

  4 anchovy fillets in olive oil, drained and coarsely chopped

  2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

  ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste

  2 cups pitted Kalamata or green olives, or 1 cup of each

  ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for storage

  1. In a food processor, with the machine running, drop the garlic through the feed tube to mince it. Add the anchovies, rosemary, and red pepper flakes and pulse the machine a few times until they are minced. Add the olives and pulse until very finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the oil to make a thick paste. (Or, in a blender, working in batches, process all of the ingredients together, scraping down the sides of the container as needed.)

  2. Transfer the olivada to a covered container and smooth the top. Serve at room temperature. (To store, pour a thin layer of oil over the top of the olivada and refrigerate for up to 1 month. Before serving, remove the olivada from the refrigerator, stir in the top layer of oil, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour.)

  * * *As Good as Bread* * *

  It’s no secret that Italians love their bread, but for us bread is chewy, hearty, and crispy—not the giant doughy loaves of white stuff they call “Italian bread” in the United States. We often serve bread in small portions—in the form of bruschetta, grissini (breadsticks or crostini)—and that’s much healthier, and I think, much more delicious.

  A lot of Italian proverbs have to do with bread. For instance, we say pan di sudore, miglior sapore, which translate
s to “bread that comes out of sweat tastes better.” It’s true too. You appreciate most what you work hardest for. Instead of saying “to call a spade a spade,” we say pane al pane, vino al vino, or “bread is bread, wine is wine.” We don’t say someone or something is as “good as gold.” Instead, we say e buono come il pane or “it’s as good as bread.” And my favorite, because it’s true, is pan e pagn ai nu fai mai dagn, “you can never have too much bread or clothes.”

  Grilled Ciambotta

  Makes about 1 quart, 12 servings

  If I can win a cook-off in a trailer park using tiny RV burners to make my family’s famous ciambotta, you can definitely wow your friends on a proper grill. This quick and easy eggplant appetizer can be served alone, with bread, or on top of bruschetta or crostini.

  ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

  4 garlic cloves, crushed under the flat side of a knife and peeled

  1 large eggplant, cut into ½-inch-thick rounds

  4 plum (Roma) tomatoes, cut in halfs lengthwise

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, plus more for serving

  ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes Salt

  1. Heat the oil and garlic together in a small saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles form around the garlic, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for about 15 minutes. Using a fork, remove and reserve the garlic.

  2. Preheat the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (400°F).

  3. Arrange the eggplant on a large baking sheet and brush both sides with the garlic oil. Place the eggplant directly on the cooking grate, and close the grill lid. Cook the eggplant until the undersides are golden brown and seared with grill marks, about 5 minutes. Flip the eggplant and continue cooking, with the lid closed, until the other side is golden brown and the eggplant is tender, about 5 minutes more. Remove the eggplant from the grill.