Recipes

GREEK GRILLED SHRIMP
SPRAYED WITH OLIVE OIL AND RETSINA

Note: Retsina is a Greek wine flavored with pine resin. (Resin was
once used to seal wine skins—the Greeks retained a taste for it.) Look
for retsina in a good liquor store or Greek market or use an aromatic
dry white wine, like Spanish verdejo.

Source: Recipe courtesy of Steven Raichlen
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4

2 pounds fresh shrimp with the heads on or 1-1/2 pounds peeled and
deveined shrimp
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably Greek, in a spray bottle
1/4 cup Greek retsina or other dry white wine in a spray bottle (optional)
Large crystals of sea salt for sprinkling

You'll also need: Best of Barbecue Marinade Spray Bottle, or other spray bottle

If using whole shrimp, peel the tails, using kitchen scissors to open
the shells. Leave the heads intact. Scrape out the veins with the tine
of a fork. If using shrimp tails, peel and devein.

Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium-high.
Brush and oil the grill grate.

Spray the shrimp on one side with olive oil. Arrange oil side down on
the grate. Lightly spray the tops with more olive oil and retsina.
When the bottoms of the shrimp are sizzling and browned, turn over.
Lightly spray this side with oil and retsina. The cooking time is
brief, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Transfer the grilled shrimp to a platter or plates and sprinkle
generously sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Serve at once and get ready
for some of the best shrimp of your life.

FRANCIS MALLMANN'S BURNT ORANGES
WITH ROSEMARY

Source: Adapted from Seven Fires by Francis Mallmann (Artisan, 2009)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4

Here's a dessert of such startling simplicity and bold in-your-face
flavors, just to hear about it is to want to try it. It comes from the
rock star of South American live-fire cooking, Francis Mallmann.

4 large juicy navel oranges
2 o 3 sprigs fresh rosemary (2 to 3 tablespoons leaves)
3/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups crème brulee ice cream or plain Greek yogurt, divided
between 4 shallow bowls

Cut off both ends of each orange. Using a sharp paring knife, remove
the peel and white pith in strips. Cut each orange in half widthwise
and remove any seeds with a fork. Arrange the oranges on a plate cut
side up.

Sprinkle the oranges with rosemary leaves, pressing the leaves into
the flesh. The recipe can be prepared up to 1 hour ahead.

Set up your grill for direct grillingand preheat to high. Ideally,
you'll be grilling over wood.

If you have a plancha, preheat it screaming hot. If working directly
on the grill, brush and oil the grill grate.

Just before serving, sprinkle the cut part of each orange with sugar.
Invert the orange halves onto the metal plate or onto the grill. Cook
until the sugar caramelizes, that is, turns dark brown, 2 to 4
minutes. Do not let burn or the sugar will taste bitter.

Using a spatula, arrange the orange halves, sugar side up, on the ice
cream. If using a pan, spoon any juices over the oranges and serve at
once.

CATALAN CREAM

Source: Planet Barbecue by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 2010)
Method: Caramelizing with a crème brulee iron or fire-heated cast iron skillet
Advance preparation: Make the custard at least 3 hours in advance, and
up to 24 hours; must be thoroughly chilled
Serves: 6

For the custard:

1 quart whole milk
1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1 vanilla bean, split (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
3 strips lemon zest (the oil-rich outer rind—remove it with a vegetable peeler)
12 egg yolks
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons honey
About 1 cup Sugar In The Raw (known as castor sugar in England or
cassonade in French) or granulated sugar, or as needed

You'll also need: 6 crème brulee dishes (each about 4 inches across
and 3/4 inch deep—tradition calls for earthenware); a crème brulee
iron (see description above) or a kitchen blowtorch

Make the custard. Place the milk, cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon zest in
a heavy saucepan and simmer over the lowest possible heat for 10
minutes.

Meanwhile, place the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and honey in a
large heavy heatproof bowl. Whisk the mixture until smooth and creamy,
2 minutes. Very slowly (you don't want to cook the egg yolks) strain
the hot milk into the egg mixture in a thin stream, whisking
constantly. Return the pan to a medium heat, and bring the mixture to
a boil, whisking steadily. The crema will thicken. Reduce the heat to
the barest simmer and cook the mixture for 3 minutes, whisking
steadily.

Spoon the mixture into the crème brulee dishes, shaking and tapping
each to smooth the top. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then
refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or until serving. You can make the
Catalan creams up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate, but if you do,
press a piece of plastic on top of each to keep it from drying out and
let warm to room temperature before serving.

Just before serving, heat the brulee iron or cast iron skillet
screaming hot—ideally in a wood-burning fireplace, or alternatively in
the embers of your charcoal grill or laid flat on the grate of your
gas grill. (You can even heat it on one of the burners of your stove.)
Evenly sprinkle the top of each Catalan cream with 3 tablespoons
sugar. Press the hot iron into the surface of the Catalan creams to
caramelize the sugar—this will take a few seconds and a puff of
fragrant smoke will rise as the sugar darkens. Note: the sugar should
be topaz-colored to a dark golden brown, not black. Burned sugar
tastes, well, like burned sugar.