Italian Grill - Mario Batali [52]
WITH PEPPERS AND CAPERS
SERVES 6
BRINE
4½ quarts water
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
12 black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
6 pork rib chops
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
3 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips
8 bulb onions, trimmed and quartered, or 2 red onions, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices
¼ cup Gaeta olives, pitted and chopped
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 tablespoons small capers, with their brine
1 cup dry white wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN, combine 2 cups of the water, the salt, and brown sugar and heat over high heat, stirring, until the salt and sugar dissolve. Pour into a large deep bowl or another container large enough to hold the pork and the brine, add the peppercorns, the bay leaves, and the remaining 4 quarts cold water, and stir to mix well.
BRINING
Brining was originally used as a means of preserving meats and fish, but since the advent of refrigeration, such preservation techniques have been unnecessary. Yet brining has become popular again as a way of making meat, especially cuts that lack fat, and poultry succulent and tender. For more on the science of brining, see Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking, but essentially a light brine (not the salt-laden brine needed for long-term preserving) both tenderizes the meat and helps keep it moist during cooking. Water is the most common brining liquid, but beer, cider, or other liquids may be added, along with spices and herbs. Brines used for chicken and other poultry often contain sugar, which caramelizes during cooking and gives the skin of the bird a deep, rich golden brown color.
Make sure the brine is completely cool, then add the pork chops. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat until very hot. Add the peppers, onions, olives, red pepper flakes, and capers and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, or until the peppers and onions are beginning to soften. Add the wine and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, remove from the heat, and set aside.
Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
Drain the chops and pat dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chops on the hottest part of the grill and cook for 7 minutes, unmoved. With tongs, carefully rotate the chops 90 degrees to create nice grill marks and cook for 4 minutes more. Turn the chops over and cook for 5 to 9 minutes more, or until the internal temperature is 145°F.
Transfer the chops to a platter, spoon the pepper mixture over, and serve.
We always use a brine for pork chops, and sometimes for larger cuts of pork as well. Brining the chops before grilling them guarantees succulent meat even when cooked to medium-well. The piquant and spicy combo of red and yellow peppers, red chili flakes, and capers makes this dish feel and taste like a bit of Little Italy.
ROSTICCIANA
(RIBS ITALIAN-STYLE)
SERVES 6
¼ cup paprika
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
6 garlic cloves, finely minced
10 bunches rosemary, soaked overnight in water to cover
3 large racks baby back ribs (about 2 ½ to 3 pounds per rack)
2 cups Mario’s Kick-Ass Barbecue Sauce (recipe follows)
IN A SMALL BOWL, combine the paprika, brown sugar, salt, cumin, and garlic and mix well. Place the racks on a large baking sheet and rub generously on both sides with the spice mixture. Let stand for 2 hours at cool room temperature, or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or up to 24 hours.
Prepare a gas grill for indirect grilling over low heat. Place a drip pan with an inch or so of water under the cool part of the grill. Pour about ⅔ cup of the barbecue sauce into a small bowl for basting, and pour the rest into a small serving bowl;