Fire It Up - Andrew Schloss [173]
INGREDIENTS:
12 jarred grape vine leaves
1 small Camembert (about 10 ounces)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and coarsely ground black pepper
¼ cup Cranberry Mustard Vinaigrette
DIRECTIONS:
Light a grill for direct medium heat, about 350°F.
Put one of the largest grape leaves in the center of a small plate and surround with 10 more leaves, overlapping them to create a mat at least 8 inches across. Rub the cheese with 1 tablespoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the cheese in the center of the leaves and wrap the leaves around it. Top with the remaining grape leaf. Tie with twine to keep the leaves in place using the plate to help you flip the cheese. Coat the whole bundle with the remaining tablespoon olive oil.
Brush a grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the cheese just until it begins to soften, about 3 minutes per side. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Untie and unwrap the cheese and serve it on its bed of leaves. Spoon the vinaigrette over top. Serve with crackers or bread for spreading.
FRESH GOAT CHEESE
Grilled Goat Cheese with Za’atar and Balsamic Chocolate Drizzle
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
Goat cheese does not melt, which allows you to grill-bake it without any danger of it collapsing. But it can still overcook. When goat cheese gets too hot, it turns grainy. So it is important to remove it from the heat as soon as it crisps and chars a bit over its surface. Goat’s milk contains fats that give it a pungency some people refer to as “barny.” That strong flavor goes well with za’atar, a spice mix consisting mostly of thyme and sumac berries (a souring agent similar to tamarind). The warm cheese is accompanied by the sexiest of elixirs—balsamic vinegar that’s been reduced to a syrup and then enriched with bittersweet chocolate.
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 round of firm fresh goat cheese (about 8 ounces), about 3½ inches in diameter and 1½ inches thick, chilled
2 tablespoons Za’atar
3 pita breads
⅓ cup Balsamic Chocolate Drizzle
DIRECTIONS:
Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 425°F.
Mix the oil and garlic in a small bowl. Coat the cheese with half the oil and press the za’atar all over the cheese. Brush the remaining oil onto the pitas.
Brush a grill grate and coat with oil. Put the bread on the grill grate and grill until blistered and charred, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter with tongs or a spatula.
Put the cheese on the grill and cook until grill-marked, 1 to 2 minutes per side. The surface will be slightly melted, but the center will still feel firm. Transfer to the platter with a spatula. Drizzle with a tablespoon of the chocolate drizzle. Serve with the remaining drizzle on the side.
ICE CREAM
Grilled Rum Raisin Ice-Cream Sandwiches
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Hot and cold—put them together and what you usually get is tepid, but not here. When you grill ice cream, hot and cold meet with a resounding clash. In this recipe, rum raisin ice cream is sandwiched between two rum-soaked oatmeal cookies and coated with sugar. When they hit the grill, the sugar turns instantly into a molten glaze, hopefully before the ice cream gets a chance to melt. When grilling ice cream it’s important to purchase the best product you can. The main factor influencing the price of ice cream is the amount of air beaten into the custard as it freezes. The more air, the faster the ice cream will melt. Premium ice cream stays frozen and holds its shape better than budget ice cream because premium ice cream contains less air.
INGREDIENTS:
½ pint rum raisin premium ice cream, softened
8 homemade or bakery-made oatmeal raisin cookies, about 2½ inches in diameter
3 tablespoons dark rum
Cooking spray
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
DIRECTIONS:
Sandwich ¼ cup ice cream between 2 cookies. Press the sandwich together firmly