Grilling is a national obsession. Bookshelves are bursting with orange and brown barbecue and grilling books boldly touting their tried and true techniques, marinades and sauces. With roots in Italian grilling and cooking tradition Mario Batali’s Italian Grill offers a subtler and fresher approach to grilling. No thick sweet-and-sour glazes here, just light marinades with hints of citrus, wine, herbs, garlic and the occasional hot chili flake. Mario takes some liberties with Italian tradition and adds a few of his personal touches. His porchetta glaze is a prime, tasty example.
Mario gets us started with a primer section on ingredients and techniques for the Italian Kitchen, bringing something new to novice and pro-grillers alike.
Balsamic vinegar, almonds, bread crumbs, capers, citrus zest, olive paste, semolina, tomatoes, polenta, mozzarella and gorgonzola are a few of the ingredients that make up the Italian grill pantry. Flavors are fresh and ingredients few in these dishes. A few standouts both in the flavor and new to the table categories are Radicchio in Pancetta with Pears and Balsamic; Fennel with Sambuca and Grapefruit; Mussels alla Piastra with Prosciutto Bread Crumbs; Shrimp Rosemary; Spit-Roasted Turkey Breast Porchetta-Style and Eggplant Parmigiana Packets. There is a nice balance of meat, fish and vegetable recipes, in fact there are so many great dishes in this collection that we could list every recipe in the book as a favorite, and the whole section on pizzas and flatbreads is well worth firing up the grill for.
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Posted by Food Junkie on October 18, 2008Categories - Celebrity Chef, Restaurant, Meat, Poultry, BBQ
