Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [162]
3 large garlic cloves, skins left on
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup walnuts
6 ounces loose sweet Italian sausage
¼ cup finely chopped celery
4 teaspoons Poultry Rub
4 large Gala, Rome, or other large baking apples
1 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons Nocello (walnut liqueur) or another nut liqueur
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
DIRECTIONS:
Light a grill for indirect medium heat, about 350°F.
Cut the onions in half through their equators, and then toss with the unpeeled garlic and oil in a bowl. Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the onions, cut-side down, and the unpeeled garlic directly over the heat until the onions are tender and the garlic is charred in spots, about 5 minutes, turning once or twice. Squeeze the garlic from its skins, and then chop along with the onions.
Put a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-duty roasting pan directly over the heat. Add the walnuts and toast until fragrant, about 5 minutes, shaking occasionally. Remove the walnuts from the pan and chop.
Add the sausage to the pan and cook until lightly browned all over, 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and set aside. Add the celery to the drippings in the pan and cook for 4 minutes, stirring now and then. Add the onions, garlic, sausage, and the poultry rub and cook for 1 minute. Scrape the stuffing into a bowl.
Cut the apples in half crosswise and remove the core from each half with a melon baller. Put the apples, cut-side up, in the skillet or in a roasting pan. Fill the center of each half with the sausage mixture. Mix together the apple cider, liqueur, vinegar, and sage and pour around and over the apples. Cover the pan with foil and put the pan on the grill away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and cook until the apples are tender, 15 to 20 minutes more.
Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle the apples with the cider syrup from the pan and serve.
Grilled Quince and Cranberry Compote
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Quince is too firm to eat out of hand. But when cooked, the fruit softens and the abundant pectin is released from the cell walls, helping to thicken any liquid mixture in which it is simmered. Historically, quince has been cooked down to preserves and jams, explaining why the word “marmalade” stems from the Portuguese name for quince, marmelo. Here the fruit thickens the juices in a simple compote. Quince has a floral aroma reminiscent of pineapple, which pairs remarkably well with tart cranberries. This garnet-colored compote would make a great side dish for an autumn meal of grilled poultry.
INGREDIENTS:
2 medium quince, peeled, cored, and quartered lengthwise
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed if frozen
¾ cup sugar
4 large slices fresh ginger, about ¼ inch thick
1 strip orange zest, about 4 inches long and
1 inch wide, with no white pith
1 cinnamon stick, about 3 inches long
1 teaspoon raspberry vinegar
DIRECTIONS:
Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 425°F.
Toss the quince quarters with the oil. Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the quince directly over the heat until grill-marked and beginning to soften, 8 to 10 minutes, turning a few times. Remove to a cutting board and chop into bite-size pieces.
Meanwhile, combine the cranberries, sugar, ginger, orange zest, and cinnamon stick in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the cranberries start to pop and release their juice, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chopped grilled quince (and any accumulated juices) and cook until the quince is soft and the liquid thickens slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
Pluck out the ginger, orange zest, and cinnamon stick and stir in the vinegar. Serve at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
PEARS
Grilled Pear Soup with Porcini and Gorgonzola
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Pear varieties differ in aroma and in the firmness of their flesh. Boscs smell like sweet spices and hold their