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Folks, in a few days we will
celebrate the birth of the greatest nation on earth. We will also
celebrate the beginning of grilling season. To help get you started,
here are some grilling-related letters from the past few years. So fire
up the grill and try something new this year.
Q). Do you have a good recipe for
grilled artichokes? Thank you for your help.
Kelly Purves
Via e-mail
A). After cooking artichokes for many, many years, I think the
steamed (or boiled) ones are the best preparation. However, here is a
Grilled Artichoke Recipe:
Boil some medium size artichokes in salted water. They are cooked when a
fork can be pierced easily through the bottom. Cool them and cut in
half. Using a stove top grill (or a Webber), oil the cut side of the
choke with olive oil. Place the cut side down and char it a bit. Turn it
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over and repeat. Serve with garlic
mayonnaise. Great smoky flavor!
Q). When I am really hungry, I go out
for cheeseburgers. The waiter asks how I want it cooked and I'm thinking
medium (50/50 pink). Recently, as usual, it was overcooked and I
couldn't figure out how to fit the wedge of pickle into it. Why can't
cooks double check before it goes out to see that it is right? Hamburger
orders should be treated like steak. What is your explanation?
Joe Aiello, Monterey
A). Sounds like a craving to me
Jo-Jo. Wedged pickles don't cut it, your right. Here is the perfect
burger: Grilled 4 oz. (no more) with 20% fat, cooked medium. Sesame bun
buttered and grilled until the edges are brown and crisp. Meat on bottom
bun, then iceberg lettuce (not too much), a thin slice of tomato (thin, I
said), then a thin slice of red onion and finally three slices of dill
pickle - not two, not
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four - three! Top with a shot of
old-fashioned prepared mustard and a dash of Heinz ketchup. Now put on
the top bun and gently squeeze down with the palm of your hand
cupped slightly. Wrap in wax paper or thin foil and let sit until
everything gets warm - about five minutes. Get four or five napkins,
open the foil and take a bite - it should drip like crazy. Now Jo, you
try that. A good burger is indeed like a good steak and cooking a burger
medium is not as easy as you might think. It should be removed at about
medium-rare because it continues to cook after leaving the grill (ask
for medium-rare next time). Another reason burgers are not juicy is one
of my biggest peeves in the world. It's the cook with the spatula! Cooks
love to squeeze the juice out because it flares up on the grill, cooks
faster and they like to test for firmness. If you are courageous enough
to request that your burger not be squeezed, give it a try. In case you
didn't know, cooks can be temperamental. |
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Here's one for trying something new: Pisto's
Barbecued Sweetbreads Recipe. Ask your butcher for some nice veal
sweetbreads - they are the best. Trim the silver and poach the
sweetbreads in water with a little salt and vinegar for 45 minutes. Peel
off the outer membrane and break the meat into pieces about the size of
an egg. Skewer them alternating with slices of onions and bay leaf.
Brush with olive oil (or butter) then season with salt |
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and pepper. Grill till crisp on the outside,
being careful not to burn them. They cook pretty fast. Finish with a
garlic vinaigrette - fantastic!
Q). What's an easy way to test the temperature of my steaks? I like
them a perfect medium- rare.
Christine H., San Jose
A). There are a couple of ways.
This is the one taught by chefs: Hold your left hand out flat. Now,
using your thumb and index finger of your |
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right hand, squeeze the fleshy part between
the thumb and the first knuckle of your left hand. When your left hand
is relaxed, that is the amount of give your steak would have if it is
rare. Close your left hand half way and that is medium. Hand closed
completely is well-done. The easiest way is to make a small cut in the
thickest part of the steak with a sharp knife. Don't cut into it too
much - only about a half-inch. Now that's really easy.
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Q). I recently have been fishing in
the bay and would like to know what is your favorite recipe for grilled
salmon? Thanks for your help and I love your show and your restaurants
are the best!
Dave, Via e-mail
A). This one is the best and the easiest. First fillet your fish
and remove the pin bones with tweezers. Cut into 8 to 10 oz. steaks. If
possible use a grill pan, like mine, or heavy cast iron pan |
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will work great. Next, heat the pan for 10
minutes on medium and season the fish with Sensational Seasonings or any
seasonings of your choice. Put the fish on and leave it alone. You only
need to turn it once. If it's real thick, brown both sides and throw in
a 350 degrees oven until it flakes, about 10 minutes. Serve with fresh
lemon wedges, a green salad, some potato salad and - bingo you're a
hero! It's late spring, when a man's fancy turns to, you guessed it, of
course I'm talking about grilling! |
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One thing I had never written about is the
pleasure of grilling vegetables. Take asparagus for example. If you have
never tried them grilled, you will simply not
believe the results. Just toss them with some olive oil, salt and
pepper. Put them on your grill, let their natural sugars caramelize into
beautiful grill marks and you're done. Do the same with bell peppers,
eggplant, zucchini and onions - you name it and you can grill it!
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