cover image The Outdoor Kitchen: Live Fire Cooking from the Grill

The Outdoor Kitchen: Live Fire Cooking from the Grill

Eric Werner, with Nils Bernstein. Ten Speed, $35 (256p) ISBN 978-0-39958-237-0

In this exacting grilling guide, Werner, chef and owner of the Hartwood restaurant in Tulum, Mexico, elevates outdoor cooking. He begins with instructions for assembling a rugged backyard grill and smoker (he recommends befriending an ironworker), complete with sketches and measurements for a made-to-order model, as well as advice for hacking a store-bought one. Cooking in embers is a favored technique, as seen in a surprisingly lengthy collection of vegetable recipes, from eggplant to bell peppers, all of which cook nicely in direct heat. Elsewhere in the vegetable kingdom, there are 10 recipes for grilled corn, including corn ice cream and corn salsa. Flavorful entrees in the seafood chapter includes rainbow trout with cumin and burnt citrus vinaigrette. The importance of brining is explained in a brief poultry chapter that features butterflied chicken with toasted mustard seed oil. And among the several steak options, Newport steak with mole is a standout for its unique sauce flavored with grilled apples, banana, and onion. Backyard chefs seeking challenges beyond the propane grill will find much to enjoy in this vibrant collection. (Mar.)