BBQ Bistro: Simple, Sophisticated French Recipes for Your Grill (2015)
CHAPTER 2
HORS D’OEUVRES
APPETIZERS
Pan-Grilled Mussels
Wood-Grilled Oysters with Smoky Bacon
SIDEBAR: Amuse-Bouche
Planked Scallops with Pistachio Butter
Shrimp Grilled on Rosemary Skewers
SIDEBAR: Compound Butters à la Française
Grilled Baby Artichokes with Parmesan and Lemon Drizzle
Grilled Asparagus Aioli Platter
Grilled Foie Gras de Moulard
The French idea of an hors d’oeuvre or appetizer is something very flavorful—briny, bitter, smoky, buttery—that can be served with an aperitif (Kir, Lillet, Dubonnet, Pernod, Champagne, or a dry white or rosé wine) to stimulate the appetite.
The appetizers in this chapter fit that bill deliciously. For briny and smoky, you can’t do better than Wood-Grilled Oysters with Smoky Bacon (page 43). Slightly bitter Grilled Asparagus Aioli Platter (page 50) or Grilled Baby Artichokes with Parmesan and Lemon Drizzle (page 49) can do double duty as either an appetizer or a side dish. Buttery only begins to describe the flavor of Planked Scallops with Pistachio Butter (page 45), one of the easiest and most delicious appetizers you can grill. You’ll love these so much that you may want to double the recipe and serve the scallops as your main course next time.
An appetizer portion is small, and a little goes a long way, so you can also splurge a bit on ingredients, whether you select the freshest shellfish or Grilled Foie Gras de Moulard (page 51) to sizzle and serve.
PAN-GRILLED MUSSELS
MOULES MARINIÈRE, THAT CLASSIC BISTRO DISH, TAKES A DELICIOUS TURN WHEN mussels or clams are grill-roasted in a preheated cast-iron skillet to pop their shells. Then a deliciously simple sauce of wine, garlic, butter, and lemon juice bathes the bivalves for a few minutes until the sauce is bubbly and warm. Crusty bread for dipping into the broth is a must.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1½ pounds (750 g) mussels (about 2 dozen)
2 cups (500 ml) dry white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon, cut in half
1 loaf of rustic country bread, sliced
Prepare a hot fire in your grill. Set a large cast-iron skillet over the fire and let it heat, with the grill lid closed, for 20 minutes.
Clean the mussels under cold running water, scraping away the fibrous bits and discarding any that have broken shells or shells that won’t close.
Combine the wine, butter, garlic, juice of ½ lemon, and the squeezed lemon half in a bowl to take out to the grill.
When the skillet is very hot, use grill tongs to place a single layer of mussels in the skillet, close the grill lid, and let the mussels grill-roast for about 1 minute. Open the grill lid. Some of the mussels will have begun to open. Carefully pour the wine mixture into the pan and let it to come to a boil. Close the grill lid again and grill-roast for about 3 or 4 minutes or until the mussels have all popped open. Using heavy-duty grill mitts, carefully remove the skillet to a heatproof surface. Grill slices of the bread until lightly browned on both sides, about 2 minutes per side.
To serve, discard any mussels that have not opened. Pour the broth with the mussels into a large serving bowl. Squeeze the other half of the lemon over the mussels and serve with the grilled bread.
WOOD-GRILLED OYSTERS WITH SMOKY BACON
WITH A CRISP WHITE WINE, NOTHING’S FINER THAN THESE WOOD-GRILLED oysters garnished with a bit of bacon and served with a dollop of Food Processor Aioli (page 29) or Hollandaise Sauce (page 35). Another option for an extra punch of flavor is a small spoonful of a Compound Butter à la Française (page 47), your choice.
SERVES 6 TO 8
Suggested wood: Almond, apple, cherry, oak, or pecan
4 thin slices smoky bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
36 fresh oysters on the half shell
1 cup (250 ml) Food Processor Aioli (page 29), prepared
Prepare a hot fire with a kiss of smoke (page 15) in your grill and add your desired type of wood.
Arrange the oysters on baking sheets and top each with a teaspoon of aioli and a sprinkle of bacon bits, reserving the remaining aioli.
When you see the first wisp of smoke from the wood, transfer the oysters to the grill, using grill tongs. Close the lid and grill for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the edges of the oysters begin to curl. (For very large oysters, allow a few minutes more, but don’t overcook.) Serve the oysters with the reserved aioli.
AMUSE-BOUCHE
If it is just a taste that you want to serve, then that’s an amuse-bouche, a single bite-size hors d’oeuvre to “amuse the mouth.” All of the recipes in this chapter are perfect for plating as a single bite, with an added artful flourish. You’ll want the plate to be eye-catching, so a drizzle of pale green extra-virgin olive oil plus a sauce and herbs or a frill of micro-greens for garnish should provide just the right touch.
PLANKED SCALLOPS WITH PISTACHIO BUTTER
SHOW YOUR GRILLING SAVOIR FAIRE WITH THIS EASY RECIPE THAT LOOKS AND tastes like you worked all day. Nap the scallops with the wonderful Pistachio Butter that has all the flavor of a fancy sauce, but it’s no-cook! Just stir the ingredients together for a colorful and delicious compound butter that you dot over the scallops. Bread is a must for sopping everything up. Shrimp or prawns are easy to substitute for the scallops if you prefer. Other Compound Butters (page 47) can be used instead of the Pistachio Butter.
Baking planks are thicker than grilling planks and have a hollow groove carved out of the wood. This groove is perfect for holding butter or sauces on the plank versus the saucy concoctions spilling off the flat grill planks.
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 cedar or oak baking plank, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
Pistachio Butter
Makes about ⅔ cup (150 ml)
½ cup (125 ml) roasted, shelled pistachios
½ cup (125 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Kosher salt
1 pound (450 g) large sea scallops, about 16
1 loaf crusty French or Italian bread
For the Pistachio Butter, finely grind the pistachios in a food processor or by hand. Mix with the softened butter in a medium-size bowl and season with salt.
Prepare an indirect hot fire in your grill, with the fire on one side and no fire on the other.
Place the scallops on the baking plank. Dollop 1 rounded teaspoon of the Pistachio Butter onto each scallop.
Place the planked scallops on the indirect side or no-heat side of the grill. Close the lid and plank-cook until the scallops are firm and just opaque, about 20 minutes, turning the plank 180 degrees halfway through the cooking time.
Serve immediately on the planks with the remaining butter and crusty bread.
VARIATION:
Plank-Roasting in the Oven: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the planked scallops in the middle of the oven and close the door. Reduce the heat to 350°F (180°C) and roast for 15 to 20 minutes until the scallops are firm and just opaque.
SHRIMP GRILLED ON ROSEMARY SKEWERS
DURING THE SUMMER GRILLING SEASON YOU CAN OFTEN FIND STURDY ROSEMARY branch skewers, sold in a bundle, in fine grocery stores. Or you can buy a variety of rosemary, a plant sometimes called Tuscan Rosemary, so you can harvest branches when you need them. The easiest way to use these long rosemary branches is to strip at least half the leaves off the bottom of the branch. Save the leaves and throw them on your charcoal fire for a fragrance feast. Before you thread the shrimp onto the rosemary branch, using a thick wooden skewer, poke a hole in the middle of the shrimp to make threading them easier. This simple grilled dish reminds us of the south of France where rosemary grows abundantly in old rock walls, gravel lanes, and on the hilltops, giving passersby a whiff of that wonderful woodsy aroma.
SERVES 8
8 to 10 rosemary skewers, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the bottom of the sprig stripped of leaves, soaked in water for 10 minutes
½ cup (113 g) butter, melted
Juice of 2 lemons
1 pound (450 g) large shrimp, 16 to 20 count, shelled and deveined
1 lemon, cut into wedges, for garnish
Prepare a hot fire in your grill.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter with lemon juice and set aside.
Thread two shrimp onto each rosemary skewer.
Place the shrimp skewers over the hot fire and grill for 5 to 7 minutes, turning often and basting with the lemon butter.
Arrange the shrimp skewers on a platter and drizzle the remaining sauce over the skewers. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.
COMPOUND BUTTERS À LA FRANÇAISE
Compound butter is a butter that has at least one other ingredient added to it. These flavored butters can add panache to a dish like nothing else. They’re so easy to make and, what’s even better, can be made ahead—words that thrill any cook or barbecuer. Make up the butter, then spoon it into ramekins or roll it into a log on waxed paper or plastic wrap. Keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for several months. Just be sure to label and date the packages so you know what you’re pulling out of the freezer.
Begin with ½ cup (113 g) of unsalted butter at room temperature. Then mix in the following for the different flavored butters with a French flair.
✵PROVENÇAL BUTTER: Add 1 tablespoon of Provençal Herb Rub (page 22) or 1 tablespoon or more of Herbes de Provence Flavoring Paste (page 28).
✵LEMON-GARLIC BUTTER: Add 2 minced garlic cloves and the grated zest of 1 lemon.
✵FRESH HERB BUTTER: Add 1, 2, or 3 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh herb of your choice, or a medley of fresh herbs, such as thyme, flat-leaf parsley, chives, tarragon, lavender, and rosemary, and 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice.
✵CAPER BUTTER: Add 1 tablespoon or more of caper paste or capers smashed with a fork.
✵TAPENADE BUTTER: Add 1 tablespoon or more of tapenade or olive paste.
✵ANCHOVY BUTTER: Add 1 tablespoon or more of anchovy paste.
✵SUN-DRIED TOMATO BASIL BUTTER: Add 1 tablespoon or more of sun-dried tomato paste and ¼ cup (50 ml) freshly chopped basil.
✵PISTOU BUTTER: Add 1 tablespoon or more of Four-Herb Pistou (page 27).
✵SHALLOT OR ONION BUTTER: Add 6 finely chopped shallots or green onions, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and ¼ teaspoon dry mustard.
✵RED PEPPER BUTTER: Add 2 tablespoons or more of finely chopped red bell pepper (fire-roasted, smoked, grilled, or raw).
✵ROQUEFORT BUTTER: Add 3 tablespoons of crumbled Roquefort blue cheese.
✵FRENCH FETA BUTTER: Add 3 tablespoons of crumbled French feta cheese.
✵GOAT CHEESE BUTTER: Add 3 tablespoons of softened goat cheese.
✵WHITE MISO BUTTER: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons white miso.
GRILLED BABY ARTICHOKES WITH PARMESAN AND LEMON DRIZZLE
WHENEVER BABY ARTICHOKES ARE AVAILABLE, GRAB THEM AND MAKE THIS dish, as tasty as it is pretty. It is important to par-cook the artichokes until they are tender before grilling them. This makes an easier job of the grilling, which simply imparts a nice char to the chokes. This is also delicious with a slight French Quarter accent by serving these with Lime-Cilantro Remoulade (page 32) in place of the Parmesan.
SERVES 4
8 baby artichokes
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 garlic clove, minced
½ cup (125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup (50 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Wedge of Parmesan cheese for shaving
1 loaf good French bread, sliced
Remove the bottom outer leaves from the artichokes and trim off the stems. Slice the artichokes in half lengthwise. Trim about 1 inch (2.5 cm) off the top. Snip off the tops of the remaining outer leaves. With the tip of a teaspoon, remove the hairy chokes and discard.
Pour 2 cups (500 ml) water into a large pot and add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Bring the water to a boil and add the artichokes, cover, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until artichoke bottoms are tender when pierced with a fork. Drain well and set aside.
Prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill.
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Brush the artichokes with some of the dressing.
Grill the artichokes for about 5 minutes, turning a couple of times, until lightly charred on all sides. Transfer to a platter and serve hot or warm with the remaining dressing drizzled over the top and a generous shaving of Parmesan cheese. Serve the sliced French bread alongside the artichoke platter to mop up the delicious dressing.
GRILLED ASPARAGUS AIOLI PLATTER
PREPARE THIS RECIPE DURING THE HEIGHT OF ASPARAGUS SEASON, FROM APRIL through June, for the most flavorful results. A thicker spear is easier to grill and dip into the aioli. Look for the most beautiful varieties—the heirloom French white Precoce D’Argentuil, the purple asparagus known as Purple Passion, or the green Jersey Giant or Mary Washington varieties. Trim the asparagus by snapping the bottom of the stem where there is natural give. This gets rid of the woody ends better than cutting the asparagus with a knife. White Truffle Aioli (page 31) is sensational with this dish, too.
SERVES 6 TO 8
2 pounds (1 kg) asparagus
Olive oil for brushing
1 recipe Food Processor Aioli (page 29), prepared
Prepare a medium-hot fire in your grill.
Trim the asparagus, brush with olive oil, and take out to the grill. Place the asparagus spears perpendicular to the grill rack. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes, turning often, until the asparagus is tender-crisp and has charred a bit. Transfer to a platter and serve hot or at room temperature with a bowl of the aioli for dipping.
VARIATIONS:
Instead of aioli for the asparagus, make either of these stir-together sauces when you’re in a hurry. They use store-bought mayonnaise and mustard as a base and can be made several days ahead and stored in the refrigerator: Dijon Mustard-Mayonnaise Slather (page 28) or Whole-Grain Mustard Sauce (page 34).
Also, half the asparagus can be wrapped in paper-thin slices of Bayonne ham, prosciutto, or Serrano ham (or other air-dried hams) and then grilled. It makes a wonderful color contrast and adds extra flavor to the platter.
GRILLED FOIE GRAS DE MOULARD
ALWAYS A SPECIAL TREAT, FOIE GRAS IS SERVED IN BISTROS ACROSS FRANCE IN some form or another at the evening meal. For grilling you want to use the raw duck liver, not a mousse or pâté. Liver hater? Stop right there! This is the most mellow, creamy, divine flavor and silky texture that must be tasted to be believed. Specialty gourmet shops may carry foie gras or they can special order it for you. There are many reputable online sources, too. A whole lobe of liver is expensive (more than $100), but you can ask for foie gras by the slice, which will cut the cost considerably. The traditional way to prepare the foie gras is to sear it over high heat. So grilling it over high heat makes perfect sense. Serve the foie gras with a chilled Sauterne or Riesling for perfection. If you like, grill a few slices of baguette or brioche to serve with this as well.
SERVES 2 TO 4
2 slices (5 ounces/150 g) foie gras, ½ inch (1 cm) thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored, and sliced
2 tablespoons pear or fig jam
Prepare a hot fire in your grill.
When the grill is very hot, season the foie gras with salt and pepper. Place over the fire and grill for about 1 minute per side or until golden brown with grill marks. The middle should be warm and slightly pink. Do not overcook or it will melt. To serve, plate the slices of grilled fois gras, fan the pear slices, and spoon the pear or fig jam alongside.
VARIATIONS:
Foie gras can be grilled and then refrigerated to serve as a cold appetizer. Make sure to use it within 3 days of purchase. The raw or grilled foie gras can also be frozen, but again, use it soon, within a couple of weeks.