Fabulicious!: On the Grill (21 page)

7.
Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot with the Parmesan cheese passed on the side.

 

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Italians don't cook with heavy cream a lot . . . unlike the French, who put it in everything. So, when I use it, you know the dish is really special. That's how I feel about this pasta, which has meaty grilled mushrooms, zesty pesto, and sinfully rich cream. And it's a perfect example of how a jar of (homemade) pesto in your fridge can make a meal magical.

6 (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the mushrooms

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound penne or other tubeshaped pasta

½ cup Homemade Pesto (facing page)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

⅓ cup heavy cream

1.
Preheat the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (400°F).

2.
Brush the mushrooms on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the cooking grate, gill-sides up, and close the grill lid. Cook until the undersides are seared with grill marks, about 3 minutes. Flip the mushrooms and continue cooking, with the lid closed, until tender, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.

3.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the penne and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Scoop out and reserve ½ cup of the cooking water and then drain the pasta well. Return the pasta to the pot.

4.
Cut the mushrooms into bite-size pieces. Add to the pot of pasta, along with the pesto, Parmesan cheese, and cream. Stir, adding enough of the pasta water to make a light sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, with additional Parmesan cheese passed on the side.

 

Makes about 1 cup

Pesto is a magical ingredient, and during the summer, when basil is cheap at our local farmer and markets, I made big batches to put in everything. (OK, maybe not on dessert . . .) If you want to freeze it, don't put the cheese in or top with oil before freezing. When ready to serve, thaw for a few hours at room temperature (don't use the microwave or the pesto will turn dark), and then add as much cheese as you like.

⅓ cup pine nuts

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1½ cups packed fresh basil leaves

½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if storing for later use

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely.

2.
Fit a food processor with a metal chopping blade. With the machine running, drop the garlic through the feed tube to mince it. Add the toasted pine nuts and pulse until finely chopped. Add the basil leaves and pulse until finely chopped. Add the cheese and pulse to combine. With the machine running, gradually pour in the oil. (You can also do this in batches in a blender, stopping the blender occasionally to stir down the ingredients.) Add the salt and pepper.

3.
Transfer the pesto to an airtight container. Pour in enough oil to cover the pesto with a thin film. (This seals the pesto and helps keep it from molding.) Refrigerate for up to 6 weeks. (Or, omit the cheese and final oil topping, and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature before using.)

 

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Pardon my French, but
puttana
is the Italian word for “whore.” Puttanesca then is anything that is made in the “whore's style,” which means thrown together quickly and cheaply. (Ain't that the truth?) Puttanesca traditionally uses (stinky) canned tuna, but we're going to class it up a bit (meaning, this recipe isn't as quick or cheap!) and use delicious grilled tuna steaks and fresh (instead of the usual canned) tomatoes. See, the good girl's way is
always
better!

Sauce:

3 pounds plum (Roma) tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing the tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ cup packed basil leaves

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ cup pitted and coarsely chopped Kalamata olives

3 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers, chopped if large

2 tablespoons drained chopped anchovy fillets

Tuna:

2 tuna steaks (each 6 ounces and cut 1 inch thick)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti

1.
Preheat the grill for indirect cooking with medium heat (400°F).

2.
To make the sauce:
Arrange the tomatoes, cut sides up, in a metal roasting pan. Brush lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the pan over the unignited burner(s) and close the lid. Cook until the tomatoes are very tender and their edges are browned, about 1 hour. Remove the pan from the grill.

3.
Preheat the grill for direct cooking over high heat (500°F).

4.
To make the tuna:
Lightly brush the tuna on both sides with oil and season with the salt and pepper. Place the tuna on the cooking grate and close the grill. Cook until the undersides are seared with grill marks, about 2½ minutes. Flip the tuna and continue cooking, with the lid closed, until the other sides are seared and the tuna is opaque on the outside with a rosy pink center when cut with a small sharp knife, about 2½ minutes more. Transfer the tuna to a plate.

5.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package directions until al dente.

6.
While the pasta is cooking, finish the sauce: Heat ¼ cup of the oil and the garlic in a large saucepan over medium heat until the garlic is tender, but not browned, about 2 minutes. Pour the garlic oil into a food processor and add the tomatoes, basil, and red pepper flakes. Process the tomato mixture until coarsely chopped. Return the tomato sauce to the saucepan. (If you don't have a food processor, add the tomatoes to the garlic oil in the saucepan and break up the tomatoes with a potato masher to make a chunky sauce. Chop the basil and stir it into the sauce, with the red pepper flakes.)

7.
Add the olives, capers, and anchovies to the tomato sauce and bring just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Cut the tuna into bite-size pieces. Add to the tomato sauce, stir well, and remove from the heat.

8.
Drain the pasta well. Return to its cooking pot. Add the sauce and stir to combine. Serve hot.

 

Makes 4 to 6 servings

In a perfect world, you would time the sausage and zucchini to come off the grill when the pasta is just finished cooking. Don't worry if they cool off a bit though, because they will heat up again when mixed with the hot pasta. Leave out the sausage, if you wish, for a vegetarian version.

6 links sweet Italian sausage (about 1¼ pounds), each pierced with a fork

3 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into ½-inch-thick slices

Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing the zucchini

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound fusilli

1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes

½ cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano

Red pepper flakes

¾ cup ricotta cheese

1.
Preheat the grill for direct cooking over medium-high heat (450°F).

2.
Place the sausages directly on the grate and close the grill lid. Cook, turning occasionally, until the sausages are cooked through, about 12 minutes. Transfer the sausages to a platter and tent with aluminum foil.

3.
Brush the zucchini on both sides with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grate, perpendicular to the grid, and close the lid. Cook until the undersides are seared with grill marks, about 2 ½ minutes. Flip the zucchini and continue cooking, with the lid closed, until they are crisp-tender, about 2½ minutes more. Add the zucchini to the platter and tent with foil.

4.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the fusilli and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Scoop out and reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.

5.
Cut the sausages and zucchini into bite-size pieces. Add them to the pasta, along with the tomatoes, Romano, and oregano. Stir, adding enough of the pasta cooking water to make a light sauce. Season with salt and red pepper flakes. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the ricotta. Toss and serve hot, with additional Romano cheese passed on the side.

 

Makes 6 to 8 servings

This is another classic aluminum-pan-on-the-grill recipe. My dad is the expert in making this dish, and he loves to throw the cooked linguini directly into the pan on the grill, right on top of the seafood, so the pasta gets all “juiced” up. Try to time the pasta so it's done about the same time as the seafood. If things don't seem to be cooking at the same rate, just use tongs to transfer the cooked items to a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.

This makes serving to company a bit of a challenge though, so I'm giving you directions on how to keep it all pretty for plating. There are a few options for the seafood, so enjoy your favorites. Just be sure to allow time to soak the clams or mussels.

1½ pounds linguine

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter

12 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

1 cup bottled clam juice

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

3 dozen littleneck clams or mussels (or a combination), scrubbed under cold water, soaked in cold salted ice water for at least 1 and up to 2 hours, and drained

6 blue crabs, cleaned by the fish store

1 pound extra-large (26 to 30 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined, or large sea scallops

1.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.