 |
| Fluke
fishing with Steve Johnson |
|
 |
| A
new cooking technique for Fluke |
|
| If
he had his way, Chris would spend half of
his time fishing and hanging out on the beach.
So, when he gets a play day from the restaurant
world he makes the best of it. One recent
fluke fishing trip off the New England coast
with his great friend, Steve Johnson, inspired
a great cooking discovery. Catching the fish
was only part of the adventure - they decided
to go against the grain and grill the fluke
whole. Fluke is generally deboned and cooked
any which way but grilled. These guys questioned,
'Why not grill it whole like a Dover Sole?'
The dish is now called Grilled Fluke Johnson
and is served on the East Coast Grill's menu.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| An
idea for a new restaurant |
|
Chris
went to Istanbul with a Turkish friend, Insan
Gurdal and his wife Valerie, owners of Fromaggio’s
Kitchen, a cheese store in Cambridge, MA.
Chris checked out traditional Turkish cooking,
and being a big open fire griller by trade,
Chris set his sights on the equipment. The
Turks use special equipment to grill their
famous sisi (shish) kebabs that
are unlike the grills used in the States.
He got hooked and got to thinking seriously
about opening a sisi (shish) kebab
restaurant back home some time in the future.
Chris has built open fire grills in his restaurants,
so he knows who to call for such an undertaking.
(This kind of equipment is not made by Weber).
He’s planning on doing a test run of
the equipment at his house... In the end,
Chris found a new toy and a new restaurant
idea, which goes to show how traveling feeds
the mind. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| A
different method for non-stick grilling |
|
| In
Costa Rica, Central America, local fishermen
pour fresh salt water on the grate of the
grill before lighting it up. The salt turns
the grate sheet white with the heat of the
flames and makes for great non-stick grilling.
Chris uses a well-oiled kitchen rag on his
grill, but has tried this technique at home
and has proven that it works just as well
far away from the beaches of Costa Rica. |
|
|
|
|
|
| At
a State Agriculture Meeting |
|
|
|
| Chris
has mastered the art of the classic seafood
and shellfish raw bar in his restaurants.
When at his state’s agriculture meeting,
he enjoyed an Heirloom tomato tasting. Chris’s
mind went from a rustic tomato tasting on
a shoestring to a much more jazzed up tomato
raw bar with different toppings…a selection
of olive oils, balsamic vinegar, herbs, cheese,
olives, breads, herb pastes, spices…
you name it! It’s great for a cocktail
party as an hors d’oeuvre. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
best grill ever
(This is coming from a grill master with 45
years of experience). |
|
 |
Chris’s
personal recommendation is to buy a Weber
Ranch Kettle (No, he doesn’t work for
Weber, but he’s ready and waiting for
an offer). "This grill will change
your life," he exclaims! It’s
37 1/2 inches in diameter, it’s about
two times as big as the largest typical
home grill, and it’s on four legs.
When grilling, it’s all about size…
the cook has to have room to maneuver what
he’s grilling, he cautions. The usual
home grill is even too small for four people.
Everyone is into the fancy ones, Chris says,
but this one is the most versatile, best-built
piece of equipment he’s used in all
of his 45 years of grilling.
Seven more reasons why Chris cooks with
Weber’s Ranch Kettle:
1. Its size allows
you to build a wood fire in it.
2. Barbecuing and
smoking are both options.
3. You can grill
big pieces of meat like whole turkey or
ham (even one of each).
4. Different items
can be cooked over really hot fire and partial
heat at the same time.
5. "Hobo"
packs on the coals work like a charm. (See
Chris’s note)
6. It performs better
than any of the most expensive grills and
looks like a spaceship on wheels to boot!
7. It’s an
ideal wedding present.
Chris’s note:
Hobo packs (for those of you who weren’t
in the boy or girl scouts) are traditionally
a mixture of ground beef, carrots, onions
and ketchup wrapped in foil and cooked directly
on the coals of a barbecue. Chris puts veggies
and potatoes in there too. They get very
hot, indirect heat so you don’t have
to worry about burning.
|
Back to Top
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
