The Big Book of Backyard Cooking (38 page)

RED AND YELLOW PEPPER RELISH

A sauté of sweet bell peppers, onions, and kalamata olives are the primary ingredients in this
colorful relish, which has many uses and which can be prepared two days ahead. It is delicious
served on grilled burgers, steaks, lamb, or chicken, but would also make a fine topping for
crostini.

MAKES 2 CUPS

2
tablespoons unsalted butter

2
tablespoons olive oil

1
large yellow onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1
red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice

1
yellow bell pepper, cut into ½-inch dice

⅓
cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives

1
tablespoon Dijon mustard

1
large clove garlic, peeled and chopped

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Combine butter and oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and cook, stirring, until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Add bell peppers and sauté, stirring, until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add olives, mustard, and garlic and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat, taste, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer relish to a bowl and cool. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving. (Relish can be prepared 2 days ahead.)

CUCUMBER WATERCRESS RELISH

This slightly sweet, fresh relish, which can be prepared a few hours in advance, is delicious served
with such grilled mild fish as trout, Arctic char, or Chilean sea bass. It is particularly good with
Salmon Fillets with Fresh Tarragon and Crushed Fennel
(page 87)
.

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

2
teaspoons yellow mustard seeds

¾
teaspoon fennel seeds

¼
cup white wine vinegar

2
tablespoons olive oil

1
tablespoon sugar

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2
cups peeled, seeded, and finely diced (¼ inch) cucumber

1
cup chopped red onion

½
cup stemmed, coarsely chopped watercress leaves

Stir mustard seeds and fennel seeds in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat and cook until mustard seeds start to pop, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and put in a medium nonreactive bowl.

Add vinegar, oil, sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper to the bowl and whisk well to combine. Add cucumber and onion and stir to mix. Let relish marinate for 30 minutes. (Relish can stay at cool room temperature for up to 2 hours.)

At serving time, stir in watercress, then taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed.

Cucumbers maintain an internal temperature that is several degrees cooler than that
outside—perhaps giving validity to the phrase “cool as a cucumber.”

TOMATO MUSTARD RELISH

This fresh tomato relish, which can be prepared a day ahead, makes a spicy addition to grilled
sausages or burgers. Use it also as a garnish to pita pockets filled with thin slices of grilled flank
steak or lamb.

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

2
tablespoons olive oil

1
tablespoon minced garlic

2
pounds ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and cut into ½-inch dice

2
tablespoons whole-grain mustard

1
teaspoon dried thyme

½
teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed

Salt

1/8
teaspoon cayenne pepper

Sugar (optional)

Heat oil in a heavy, medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds. Add tomatoes and stir well. Stir in mustard, thyme, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt, and cayenne.

Cook and stir only 1 minute more or tomatoes will get mushy.

Remove from heat, taste, and season with more salt, if needed. If mixture seems too acidic, stir in a pinch of sugar. (The relish can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Either reheat sauce just to warm or bring to room temperature when ready to use.)

HOT SPICY TOMATO RELISH

This cooked relish, which can be prepared several hours ahead, is good served warm or at room
temperature. I like to mound it on grilled beef steaks, especially tenderloins
(page 30)
. The flavors
are also a good match for grilled lamb chops or grilled butterflied leg of lamb.

MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP

¾
pound ripe (but not soft) plum (Roma) tomatoes

1
tablespoon olive oil

¾
cup (about 1 large) cleaned, chopped leek, white parts only

½
teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed, plus more if needed

Salt

¼
teaspoon dried thyme

¼
teaspoon red pepper flakes

1
teaspoon grated orange zest

1
teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Halve tomatoes lengthwise and scoop out seeds and membranes. Cut halves into ½-inch dice.

Drain tomatoes in a colander while you make the relish.

Heat oil in a medium, heavy skillet over medium heat. When hot, add leeks and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add ½ teaspoon rosemary, scant ½ teaspoon salt, thyme, and red pepper flakes and cook and stir 30 seconds more. Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, orange zest, and balsamic vinegar. Taste and add more crushed rosemary and salt, if needed. (The relish can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Leave at room temperature.) Serve relish warm or at room temperature.

California produces nearly all of the United States’ fresh artichokes.

ARTICHOKE, RED PEPPER, AND OLIVE

CONFETTI

This colorful mélange of marinated vegetables bursts with flavor and is delicious served with a
platter of assorted Italian cold cuts
(page 109).
It also makes a fine condiment to offer with a
grilled leg of lamb or with grilled juicy beef steaks. The vegetables can be prepared a day in
advance.

MAKES ABOUT 4 CUPS

¾
cup pitted kalamata olives

1
large (8-ounce) red bell pepper

1
9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and dried

4
ounces small button mushrooms, cleaned

¼
cup thinly sliced yellow onion

½
cup olive oil

2
tablespoons red wine vinegar

1½
tablespoons chopped fresh basil, plus 5 to 6 additional leaves for garnish
1
tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1½
teaspoons minced garlic

½
teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Quarter olives lengthwise. Slice bell pepper lengthwise into paper-thin slices. Cut artichoke hearts lengthwise into thin slices. Halve mushrooms through stems. In a large bowl, mix together olives, bell pepper, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and onion.

In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, chopped basil, parsley, garlic, mustard, ½

teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper until thickened. Pour over vegetable mixture and stir to coat well. Cover and let sit at room temperature 1 hour for flavors to blend. The olives and vegetables can be prepared 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

To serve, taste, and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Arrange the marinated olives and vegetables in a bowl. Julienne remaining basil leaves and sprinkle over olive and vegetable mixture.

TOMATO FENNEL CONFETTI

This colorful combination, made with sweet little grape tomatoes, diced fennel, and fresh herbs,
makes a distinctive topping to use with grilled oysters
(page 96)
or with grilled salmon. It would
be equally tempting as a garnish for a platter of steamed green beans. The key to this recipe is to
cook the tomatoes no more than one minute so that they retain their shape and do not become
mushy.

MAKES 1½ CUPS

3
slices (2 to 3 ounces) smoked bacon

3
tablespoons minced shallots

3
tablespoons minced fennel bulb (see note)

½
teaspoon minced garlic

1½
cups grape tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch dice

¼
cup dry white wine

Freshly ground black pepper

Salt

1½
teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

1
teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a medium, heavy skillet set over medium heat, sauté bacon until browned and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels. Crumble and set aside.

Pour off and discard all but a thin film of the bacon drippings in skillet. Heat skillet over medium heat and add shallots, fennel, and garlic. Sauté and stir to soften, about 1½ minutes. Stir in tomatoes, wine, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, only 1 minute more.

Transfer to a nonreactive serving bowl. (The tomato-fennel mixture can be prepared 2 hours ahead; leave at room temperature.) When ready to serve, stir in tarragon, parsley, and crumbled bacon. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

NOTE:
To mince fennel, remove and discard the long lacy stems from the bulb.

Halve the bulb lengthwise, then cut out and discard the tough inner core from

each half. Then chop the bulb finely to yield 3 tablespoons.

PLUM CHUTNEY

I love the deep crimson color of this chutney, which makes a lively complement to grilled lamb,
pork, or chicken. It is also appealing as a garnish for turkey burgers or ham sandwiches. The
chutney keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.

MAKES 2 GENEROUS CUPS

4
to
5
(about 1¼ pounds) red plums, ripe but still firm

1
large Granny Smith apple

2/3
cup sugar

6
tablespoons red wine vinegar (see note)

1
tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

1
teaspoon chopped garlic

2
teaspoons grated orange zest

¼
teaspoon ground cinnamon

Halve plums and cut each half into ½-inch dice to yield 3 cups. (You may not need to use all the plums.) Set aside. Halve lengthwise and core apple without peeling. Cut into ½-inch dice to yield 1

cup.

Combine 1 cup water and the sugar in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar and then bring to a boil without stirring. Add vinegar, ginger, garlic, half of the diced plums, and the diced apple. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add remaining plums, orange zest, and cinnamon. Bring to a gentle boil and cook until thick and syrupy, about 10 minutes. Remove and cool. (Chutney can be prepared 5 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.) Serve chutney at room temperature.

NOTE:
Plums seem to vary in their sweetness. If this chutney doesn’t seem tart enough when finished, you can add a little more vinegar (1 to 2 teaspoons at a time) and cook a few minutes more to evaporate until the sweet/tart tastes are balanced.

RHUBARB CHUTNEY

Rhubarb, the tart vegetable that appears in the spring, is most often used as a dessert ingredient.

But it is also delicious when combined with sugar, spices, and vinegar and turned into a chutney.

Rhubarb chutney can be used as a garnish to grilled pork or lamb and would be attractive
mounded atop grilled turkey or chicken burgers. A bowl of the chutney could also be served with a
platter of cold, sliced baked ham.

MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS

1
cup lightly packed brown sugar

½
cup balsamic vinegar

4
teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

1
3-inch cinnamon stick, broken in half

1
teaspoon grated orange zest plus several julienned strips for garnish (optional)
¼
teaspoon ground cardamom

About 1¼ pounds rhubarb

2/3
cup (about 1 bunch) chopped green onions including 2 inches of green stems
½
cup currants

Combine sugar, vinegar, ginger, cinnamon, orange zest, and cardamom in a large, heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves and mixture just comes to a simmer.

Trim rhubarb and cut into ½-inch slices to yield 4 cups. Add rhubarb, onions, and currants to saucepan and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until rhubarb is tender and mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. (Do not overcook or rhubarb will become mushy.) Cool to room temperature. Remove the cinnamon stick halves and discard. Refrigerate chutney to set. (Chutney can be prepared 5 days ahead. Bring to room temperature 30 minutes before serving.) Serve chutney in an attractive bowl garnished with some julienned orange peel in the center, if desired.

BALSAMIC ONION MARMALADE

While teaching in the Perigord, an area in southwestern France, I bought a jar of onion
marmalade in one of the region’s outdoor food markets and brought it home to savor. The sweet
and tart accents of this condiment were so appealing that I decided to try recreating it in my own
kitchen. I sautéed onions in butter and sugar, then added balsamic vinegar, red wine, and dark
raisins to the pan. When the mixture cooked until it was glistening and syrupy, I added crushed
black pepper. The onions would be excellent with grilled chicken breasts or pork chops or as a
garnish to turkey burgers
(page 44).

MAKES ABOUT 2/3 CUPS

1½
tablespoons unsalted butter

2
cups (1 large) chopped yellow onion

1
tablespoon sugar, plus 1 to 1½ teaspoons extra, if needed

½
cup balsamic vinegar

¼
cup dry red wine

3
tablespoons dark raisins