(I've been quite busy and away from the blog but I have not forgotten "Effing Good." As a matter of fact, I've been thinking about it and all sorts of ideas and good food have been spinning inside my head. Unfortunately with little time for the blog I've decided to take a pause instead of churning out bland posts.)
This post is all about outdoor cooking.
PEACH ICED TEA
First, I need to suggest a perfect summer drink that in Italy we grow up with - te freddo alla pesca - peach iced tea. The supermarket versions are tasty but very sweet and with a standardized flavor. In June with the first really hot days of summer I started experimenting with my own recipes. In my first test I pureed 6 white peaches and I added them to concentrated tea, sugar and water. I then filtered the blend to obtain a lighter infusion. This iced tea was very fruity and a bit murky (because of the peach residue). It was good but not clear and as refreshing as I hoped. The peach puree idea was meant to extract as much flavor but I think that it was a bit of an overkill.
The second attempt was more straightforward. I made a concentrated Keemun black tea (English breakfast is good too) added sugar (about 2 teaspoons per cup - you can play around with the sugar level) and mixed it. I added enough water to fill the jug I was using and added 2 regular peaches in small slices. I let everything steep for an hour or two and then filtered the tea and chilled it in the fridge. This second version of peach iced tea has become my go-to recipe for the summer. It is easy to make and produces a clear, peachy and super-refreshing iced tea. I love it and I keep a big jug in the fridge to cool down on the hottest moments of the day.
"OUTDOOR COOKERY" James Beard and Helen Evans Brown, Royal Books, 1965.
I recently found a copy of this book in the corner of a dusty old bookstore. The book has its age but the recipes and suggestions for cooking and eating outdoor are very interesting and current.
I have included below some recipe excerpts from the book. I think they will spruce up anyone's grilling repertoire.
- SCALLOP SKEWERS: I combined two suggestions from the book. Dip the scallops in butter and olive oil mixed with parsley and crashed garlic. Alternate the scallops with olives and grill them.
- LONDON BROIL: fancier term for a flank steak and honestly this steak deserves a fancier name because as the authors write, it is "unbelievably delicious." Procedure: slash any of the fat on the side of the steak, brush with olive oil and black pepper and grill for about 8 minutes. The key for a delicious London broil is to cook it rare and serve it sliced diagonal and very thin. This steak is best served with French fried onions or a red wine shallot sauce.
Tip of the authors: add salt at the end of grilling so that the meat keeps juicier.
- GREEN TOMATOES SKEWERS: dip the green tomatoes in olive oil with ground ginger and grill. Ingenious.
- PINEAPPLE SKEWERS: dip the pineapple chunks in butter and grill them. Roll them in macaroon crumbs and flare them with rum.
- BROILED SWEETBREADS: once or twice a year we can all indulge in some sweetbreads. I do associate them with colder days but this grill recipe sounds perfect for any season. Procedure: first blench the sweetbreads for 15 minutes in salted water with a bit of lemon juice. This step will keep them white and firm. Cool them in ice water, pat them dry and dip them in 1/2 cup cream + one beaten egg. Roll them in bread crumbs and grill them at low heat until brown on both side. Serve with a younger red wine or an aromatic white with some depth.
- GRILLED TONGUE TARRAGON: boil the tongue for 1 hour in a pressure cooker or 2-4 hours in a regular pot (the cooking time is related to the size of the piece that you are cooking.) Make sure to add a bouquet garni, onion, celery and carrot to the water. Make a paste with: 2 cloves of garlic crushed, 11/2 tbsp dried tarragon, 1 tbsp mustard, 1 tbsp tarragon vinegar or vinegar and 1/2 tbsp salt. Rub the boiled tongue with half the rub and mix the rest of the rub with 1/2 cup from the cooking water, 3 tbsp melted butter and 1 tbsp tarragon vinegar. Spit-grill the tongue on medium heat for about 45 minutes until crispy and brown on the outside while basting regularly.
FIGS on the GRILL: do you have a fig tree and an endless supply of figs that you can't give away to friends and relatives because they don't know what they are missing? Perfect, the book suggests to wrap them in bacon and grill them like you would with dates. If you are vegetarian I would suggest grilling them quickly and serving them with fresh quality ricotta cheese and a drizzle of wonderful honey.
I have included recipes for both vegetarians and meat-eaters and I hope that you have found something inspiring. Go out! Get that dusty grill cleaned up and enjoy some relaxed outdoor cooking.
