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The thrill of the grill—times four!
REVIEWS BY SYBIL PRATT
By Bobby Flay Scribner, $22 224 pages, ISBN 0743272722
The Jamisons, Cheryl and Bill, authors of over a dozen cookbooks, are alarmed by an epidemic of entertaining anxiety. To alleviate the symptoms, which include fretting about the setting and agonizing over the menu, they suggest a little "spontaneous combustion" for casual, lively grill gatherings and they supply the easy, fail-proof recipes to make it all happen in their latest, Good Times, Good Grilling: Surefire Recipes for Great Grill Parties. Hot nibbles from the grill, like Zesty Portobello Wedges, get things going, then it's on to Serious Steaks, a bevy of burgers, lean pork tenderloins that have been rubbed, marinated or sauced, succulent salmon, party-perfect Paella and more. The Jamisons are attentive to the differences in grills and grillers and offer the necessary aid and advice to make your fired-up fiesta a roaring, but relaxed, success.
By Cheryl Jamison and Bill Jamison Morrow, $24.95 192 pages, ISBN 0060534877
Behind the fabulous Food Network shows that have educated and entertained us for over 10 years is a fabulous behind-the-scenes dream team that sees to every aspect of these super-popular culinary productions; they've put on more than 11,000 shows and prepared more than 30,000 recipes. In response to the many requests from their ever-busy website, the Food Network Kitchens team has turned its collective talents to cooking outdoors and the result is Get Grilling, with 166 recipes to get you in that grilling groove. These fine folks have grilled everything from easy burgers to tailgate extravaganzas and stoked their fires on beaches, Air Force bases, backyards and beyond. So when they say they want to be "your own personal cookout cheerleading squad," you know you'll be in good hands and you know you'll find all the recipes you need for the main events, the satisfying sides, the opening noshes and the sweet endings. It's the add-ons that make the difference here: almost every recipe has a "Cook's Note," extra tips for smarter cooking, "Shopsmart," the inside info that turns you into a savvy shopper, "Style," bright, new serving suggestions or "Know-How," the simple techniques that make everything turn out just a little bit better.
By The Food Network Kitchens Meredith, $24.95 288 pages, ISBN 0696222132
Here's an aspect of La Cucina Italiana that may be new to you—Italians are wild about grilling and have been for centuries. If Italian flavors light your fire, add Savory Sausage and Sweet Grape Skewers, marvelous, make-ahead grilled then marinated Monkfish, Grilled Polenta rounds topped with creamy Gorgonzola or any of the other 82 recipes included in Micol Negrin's The Italian Grill to your grilling repertoire and live la dolce vita. Go forth and grill—eat, entertain and enjoy.
By Micol Negrin Clarkson Potter, $25 416 pages, ISBN 1400054222 |
Bobby Flay has never been shy about his food attitude. "I want taste! I want excitement!" is the culinary cry of this famed restaurateur, chef and Food Network phenomenon. Now he wants that taste and excitement in "dishes that will fit perfectly with today's carb-conscious lifestyle." And that's what he offers in Bobby Flay's Grilling for Life: 75 Healthier Ideas for Big Flavor from the Fire. This is not a diet book—it's Bobby the Bold's take on how to choose the right carbs and the right fats and how to use your grill and his signature style to make full-flavored, healthy food. Now, get with the program and get out that grill. Start with a gorgeous platter of Grilled Antipasto (all veg), top creamy White Bean Salad with slightly charred Grilled Tuna, marinate leg of lamb in yogurt and mint, make those Beef Skewers sing with a Garlic-Mustard Glaze. Bobby's with you from advice on equipment to ideas for party menus. It's Flay Day once again—time to fire up and chow down.
Fiery fiestas
More outdoor fun
Alla griglia