Italian Grill - Mario Batali [59]
4 bunches scallions, trimmed (leave about 3 inches of the dark green parts)
About ½ cup Almond Pesto
2 lemons, cut into wedges
Coarse sea salt
PREHEAT A GAS GRILL or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
Lay the scallions over the hottest part of the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly charred on the first side. Turn and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until lightly charred on the second side. Transfer to a platter.
Spoon the pesto generously over the white parts of the scallions and serve hot, with the lemon wedges and coarse sea salt.
ALMOND PESTO
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP
2 garlic cloves
1 cup packed fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, preferably lemon thyme
⅓ cup toasted unblanched almonds
Generous pinch of kosher salt
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING, drop the the garlic into a food processor to chop it. Add the parsley, thyme, almonds, and salt and pulse until the herbs and nuts are coarsely chopped, then process until finely chopped. With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the oil. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the Parmigiano.
Grilled scallions are great, but they are often treated as a mere garnish. These are very reminiscent of a Catalonian dish of overwintered leeks called calcots. The almond pesto is a variation on the romesco sauce traditionally served with calcots.
THICK-SLICED ONIONS
WITH LEMON THYME
SERVES 6
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh lemon thyme
2 pounds medium to large red onions
About ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
PREHEAT A GAS GRILL or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
Combine the vinegar, garlic, and thyme in a small saucepan and heat until fragrant and just beginning to steam (the mixture will register about 150°F on an instant-read thermometer); don’t let it boil. Remove from the heat and let stand for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the onions into ½-inch-thick slices and lay out on a baking sheet. (To make it easier to turn the onions on the grill, and to avoid losing any onion rings in the fire, insert a toothpick into the side of each slice, pushing it halfway through; or put a wire cooling rack on the grill so the onions won’t slip through.) Brush on both sides with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place the onions on the hottest part of the grill and cook, unmoved, for 4 to 5 minutes, until just charred on the first side. Turn and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more, or until softened and lightly charred on the second side. Transfer to a baking sheet or platter and remove the toothpicks if you used them, then carefully stack the onion slices—like pancakes—on a serving platter.
Whisk the remaining ¼ cup olive oil into the vinegar mixture and drizzle it over the onions. Serve warm or at room temperature.
These are so good—grilling onions caramelizes the natural sugars and brings out all their inherent sweetness, which is emphasized in this dish by the balsamic in the vinaigrette. If you can only find regular thyme, whisk in some grated lemon zest along with the olive oil before drizzling the mixture over the onions.
CORN
AS ITALIANS WOULD EAT IT
MAKES 6 EARS
6 ears corn, shucked
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 to 1 ½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
About 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Hot red pepper flakes
PREHEAT A GAS GRILL or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
Place the corn on the hottest part of the grill and cook for 3 minutes, or until grill marks appear on the first side. Roll each ear over a quarter turn and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then repeat two more times.
Meanwhile, mix the oil and vinegar on a large flat plate. Spread the Parmigiano on another flat plate.
When the corn is cooked, roll each ear in the olive oil and vinegar mixture, shake off the extra liquid, and dredge in