Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [144]
Light a grill for direct high heat, about 500°F. Brush the grill grate and coat with oil.
Grill the brochettes directly over the heat until nicely grill-marked and springy to the touch but still a bit soft in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Brush the cooked sides often with the glaze during grilling and serve with any remaining glaze.
SCALLOPS
Pepper and Salt Block Scallops with Grapefruit Mojo
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Mojo (MO-ho) is ubiquitous in Cuba. The garlicky citrus sauce shows up on all kinds of foods. It’s traditionally made with sour orange juice, which is hard to come by. We use grapefruit juice and lime juice for a slightly different flavor, and we sear the scallops on a block of salt right on the grill. Salt blocks are the coolest thing to happen to grills since cedar planks. And they work in a similar way. Heat up the salt block directly over the grill, then sear your food right on the hot block. It cooks and seasons in one step! Our favorite is a Himalayan pink salt block, which we like to get from The Meadow, owned by salt fanatic and self-described “selmelier” Mark Bitterman.
INGREDIENTS:
1 large salt block, at least 1½ inches thick
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ cup fresh red or pink grapefruit juice Juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1 teaspoon coarse salt
¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1¼ pounds large wild-caught sea scallops (about 16 scallops)
2 tablespoons olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
Light a grill for bilevel high/low heat, about 500+/275°F. Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Heat the salt block directly on the grill grate over low heat for 15 minutes. Raise the heat to medium on a gas grill. On a charcoal or wood grill move the block halfway between the high- and low-heat areas and heat for another 15 minutes. Raise the heat to high on a gas grill or move the salt block over to the high-heat area on a charcoal or wood grill and heat for 15 to 20 minutes more.
Meanwhile, heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until the garlic begins to color, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the grapefruit juice, lime juice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the cilantro. Pull the white gristly tendons from the scallops if not already removed. Rinse the scallops and pat dry. Coat the scallops with the olive oil and let stand at room temperature until the salt block is hot.
When the salt block is very hot (you should only be able to hold your hand above it for a few seconds), place the scallops on the hot block and sear until browned and springy to the touch, but still a little soft in the center, about 3 minutes per side. Work in batches if your salt block cannot comfortably fit all the scallops at once.
Remove to a platter or plates and serve with the mojo.
KNOW-HOW: CARING FOR SALT BLOCKS
Salt blocks will last for about a dozen grillings if heated carefully and cleaned well after each use. Heat the blocks gradually to prevent cracking. Start over low heat and, over a 30-minute period, move the block in two steps to high heat. After each use wipe the block clean of any debris with a plastic scrubbing pad, using warm water and gentle pressure. Blot the stone on a flat-weave towel to dry the surface. Each time the salt block is used and cleaned a thin film of salt will be washed away. As long as the block is at least 1½ inches thick, it can still be used for grilling.
OCTOPUS
Sicilian Grilled Baby Octopus
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
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