Italian Grill - Mario Batali [15]
Many of these recipes, like the Sicilian Marinated Zucchini with Ricotta and Bottarga and Grilled Vegetable Salad Capri-Style, feature vegetables at the height of their season. Others combine vegetables with some of my favorite pork products, such as Radicchio in Pancetta with Pears and Balsamic. Some, like Grilled Peppers with Anchovies, Capers, and Bread Crumbs, are my versions of classics, while others, like Fresh Robiola Wrapped in Mortadella, stray deliciously from tradition. Prosciutto with Grilled and Fresh Figs celebrates the arrival of that luscious fruit in the market, and the sublime Fennel with Sambuca and Grapefruit is a celebration in itself.
Any good meal depends on balance. Acidity, intensity, weight, and the sheer amount of food can all be in balance if you consider these a bit when planning the menu. Serving a relatively rich dish like Robiola Wrapped in Mortadella with an acidic one like Vegetable Salad Capri-Style makes sense—they go well together both in terms of a balanced palate and from a presentation point of view. Then again, you do not want to overthink this. It’s summertime, and you are cooking for good friends.
These recipes are perfect for casual entertaining. Some of them can be made ahead and served at room temperature, and most of them can be prepared partially or almost completely in advance, with just a few minutes on the grill right before serving. For example, the polenta for the two very different grilled polenta recipes—one with robiola and scallions, the other flavored and colored with an herbal “Green” and topped with a pickled onion and escarole salad—can be cooked hours or even days ahead.
Also keep in mind that there are recipes for antipasti in the pizza chapter and that some of the dishes in the vegetable chapter make perfect antipasti.
PORTOBELLOS
WITH ARUGULA AND PARMIGIANO
SERVES 6
6 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
Generous 4 cups trimmed arugula, washed and spun dry
Juice of ½ small lemon
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A 4-ounce chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano for shaving
PREHEAT A GAS GRILL or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
Place the portobellos on the grill and cook, turning two or three times, until slightly softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a platter, arranging the mushrooms gill side up.
In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of the olive oil, the anchovy paste, vinegar, and thyme. Spoon the mixture evenly over the portobellos and let stand for 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, toss the arugula with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and the lemon juice. Season with coarse sea salt and pepper.
Divide the arugula among six plates and top each with a mushroom. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmigiano over the salads. Serve immediately.
This was one of the first dishes I put on the menu at my restaurant Pó … a long, long time ago. You can vary it by using different greens, such as spicy young watercress, or other cheeses, including sheep’s-milk cheese, semi-soft or aged. The beauty of the dish lies in the seemingly incongruous marriage of anchovies and mushrooms: anchovies plus mushrooms equals steak.
PROSCIUTTO
WITH GRILLED AND FRESH FIGS
SERVES 6
18 fresh Black Mission figs, cut in half
6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma Generous 4 cups trimmed arugula, washed and spun dry
⅓ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
PREHEAT A GAS GRILL or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
Place 18 of the fig halves cut side down