                   Barbecue Bible
                   Steven Raichlen

                   No cooking technique is hotter these days, youll pardon the
                   expression, than grilling. Its a great way to produce
                   intensely flavorful food that neednt have a lot of fat (but
                   certainly can, if you like), and its not just for summer
                   anymore. Enter the excellent new paperback tome by the
                   James Beard Award-winning Steven Raichlen--556 pages
                   of barbecue recipes from all over the world--where youll
                   find far more than advice on how to perfectly sear a steak
                   (although that is certainly included). From quesadillas to
                   Asian fare, from drinks to desserts, Raichlen brings to bear
                   what must have been years of globe-trotting research to
                   present fresh, fascinating new uses for that rusty old BBQ
                   kettle. And throughout, the book presents lore, tidbits and
                   advice on the primal pleasures of bringing food alive over
                   fire.

                   Naan (Tandoori-baked flat bread)

                   Visiting an Indian restaurant is incomplete without a
                   basketful of that cuisines signature flatbread, the buttery,
                   yeasty confection naan. But few American cooks probably
                   think to try this at home, on the grill. Try it. Its not even
                   terribly difficult (although juggling several other multi-step
                   dishes at the same time might prove a challenge). The results
                   of this recipe prove strikingly authentic--but, as with the real
                   thing, eat the bread quickly. Once its cooled, its just not
                   the same.

                   Makes 14 to 16 naan (7 to 8 servings)

                   1 envelope active dry yeast
                   5 tablespoons sugar
                   1 cup warm water
                   1 egg, beaten
                   3 tablespoons milk
                   2 teaspoons salt
                   4-1/2 to 5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus
                   additional for dusting and rolling
                   1 tablespoon vegetable oil
                   4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

                   1. Combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon of the sugar and 1/4
                   cup of the water in a large bowl, and let stand until foamy, 5
                   to 10 minutes. Stir in the remaining sugar, the remaining
                   water, the egg, milk and salt. Add 4 cups of the flour and
                   stir to form a dough that is soft and pliable, but not sticky.
                   Knead the dough until elastic and smooth either by hand on
                   a floured work surface, in a food processor or in a mixer
                   fitted with the dough hook; add more flour if necessary. It
                   should take 6 to 8 minutes.

                   2. Use 1/2 tablespoon of the oil to lightly oil a large bowl.
                   Place the dough in the bowl, brush the top with the
                   remaining oil, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise
                   in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1-1/2
                   hours. Punch down the dough and pinch off 2-inch pieces.
                   Roll them between your palms into smooth balls. You
                   should have 14 to 16 balls. Place the balls on a lightly
                   floured baking sheet and cover with a lightly dampened
                   clean kitchen towel. Let rise again until puffy, about 30
                   minutes.

                   3. Preheat the grill to high.

                   4. When ready to cook, place a rolling pin, cutting board,
                   bowl of flour, and the melted butter near the grill. (This is
                   incredibly theatrical; your guests will be amazed.) Roll out a
                   dough ball on a lightly floured cutting board to form a disk
                   about 5 inches in diameter. Gently slap the disk from one
                   hand to the other to stretch it into an elongated 7- to 8-inch
                   circle. (The motion is rather like the patty cake, patty cake
                   motion in the nursery rhyme.) Stretch the circle into a
                   traditional teardrop shape and immediately lay it on the hot
                   grate.

                   5. Cook the bread until the bottom is crusty and browned
                   and the top is puffed and blistered, 2 to 4 minutes. Brush
                   with butter. Invert the naan and grill the other side until
                   lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Prepare the remaining naan
                   the same way. Brush each naan with more butter as it
                   comes off the grill, and serve piping hot. Serve whole, or cut
                   each naan into 3 wedges to serve the traditional way.

                   From The Barbecue Bible! by Steven Raichlen (Workman)

                   Bool kogi (Korean sesame-grilled beef)

                   The classic Asian combination of garlic and rich,
                   toasty-brown sesame oil is hard to beat on many meats;
                   beef and chicken, among them. This recipe produces a
                   sweet, salty, zesty, crispy main dish that capitalizes on the
                   grills ability to caramelize the sugar on the outside of the
                   steak, creating a terrifically toothsome texture and a sweet,
                   smoky flavor. Feel free to shake a little red pepper into the
                   marinade for extra kick, and to serve the steak traditionally
                   (without the Korean-style lettuce-leaf wraps and dipping
                   sauce)--its got plenty of flavor.

                   Makes 6 servings

                   For the beef and marinade:
                   2 pounds beef tenderloin tips, or boneless sirloin
                   1/2 cup soy sauce
                   1/3 cup sugar
                   3 tablespoons sake, rice wine, or sherry
                   2 tablespoons Asian (dark) sesame oil
                   8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
                   4 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and minced
                   2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted lightly in a skillet over
                   medium heat until golden-brown
                   1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

                   For serving:
                   1 head romaine lettuce, separated into leaves, rinsed and
                   spun dry
                   Garlic kabobs (place three peeled cloves crosswise on a
                   toothpick for each guest, drizzle with sesame oil and salt and
                   pepper, wrap loosely with foil, and grill for 20 minutes)

                   Asian pear dipping sauce:
                   1/2 cup soy sauce
                   1/2 cup sake or dry sherry
                   1/4 cup sugar
                   1 small Asian pear, peeled, cored and finely chopped
                   4 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and finely
                   chopped
                   1/4 cup finely chopped onion
                   2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

                   1. Make the dipping sauce: Combine all the dipping
                   sauce ingredients in a medium-size bowl and stir until
                   thoroughly mixed and the sugar is dissolved.

                   2. Prepare the beef: If using tenderloin tips, butterfly them
                   to obtain broad, flat pieces of meat; each should be about 4
                   inches long and wide and 1/4-inch thick. If using the sirloin,
                   cut it across the grain into 1/4-inch slices (placing meat in
                   the freezer briefly makes this easier). Whichever cut you
                   use, pound the slices between two sheets of plastic wrap
                   with the side of a cleaver or with a rolling pin to flatten them
                   to the thickness of 1/8 of an inch. Place the meat in a large
                   nonreactive baking dish and set aside while you prepare the
                   marinade.

                   3. Combine all the ingredients for the marinade in a small
                   bowl and whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Pour the mixture
                   over the meat in the baking dish and toss thoroughly to coat.
                   Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 1 to 2 hours.

                   4. Preheat the grill to high.

                   5. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Add the garlic
                   kabobs (if using) to the hot grate, and grill for 4 to 5
                   minutes. Then arrange the pieces of meat on the grate and
                   grill, turning with tongs, until nicely browned on both sides, 1
                   to 2 minutes per side. Turn the garlic kabobs as the meat
                   cooks. Transfer the meat to a platter when it is done and
                   unwrap the garlic. 

                   6. Pour the dipping sauce into 6 small bowls, one for each
                   diner. To eat, take a piece of meat and a grilled garlic clove
                   and wrap them in a lettuce leaf. Dip the leaf in the dipping
                   sauce and eat at once.

                   From The Barbecue Bible! by Steven Raichlen (Workman)



