Fire and Smoke: Herbs for the Grill

 By Pat Crocker

From the ashes of ancient fires, our appetite for grilled food blazes on, perhaps sparking sophisticated techniques, but always remaining elemental – even primal – at its core. And, not surprisingly, our use of herbs in, over, and through the fire-pit is just as ancient. When the god Prometheus stole an ember from the sun’s chariot, he brought the gift of fire to earth hidden in a stalk of fennel, thereby illuminating the significance of herbs as powerful tools.

No doubt woody herbs such as thyme, mullein (which doubled as a torch when dipped in tallow) and angelica provided fragrant kindling for those first fires. Robust sage, bay, and rosemary leaves would have been pounded with berries and dried coltsfoot (for its saltiness) into an aromatic rubbing paste, and large-leaf herbs served as fragrant cooking pouches.

So universal is the food-fire-herb triarchy that no single culture can lay claim to its discovery. Like an elusive wisp of smoke from the spit, the art of brazier, luau and rotisserie encircled the globe, igniting here and there, burning brightly throughout time.

Strictly speaking, the word barbecue is a mutation of the Spanish barbacoa, their word for the crude wooden frames that first peoples of the New World used for hanging fish and meats to smoke and slowly cook over low-banked coals. Arawak Indians of Haiti and Guyana called the structures boucans and the art of the boucan quickly spread via buccaneers to other parts of the expanding globe.

Today, North Americans might not be barbecuing in the true sense (smoking food long and slow) but we’re greasing the grill and fanning the flames in unprecedented numbers nonetheless.  Imbued with herbal essences, gnawed by flames and tickled with smoke, seasonal vegetables and fruit, fish, seafood and meats play with fire and herbs for delicious results in the recipes that follow.

Recipes

Grilled Ontario Vegetables and Mustardy Pork Tenderloin

A grill basket is useful with this recipe eliminating the danger of vegetables getting lost through the grill bars.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Marinating Time: 4 to 6 hours

3 tbsp (50 mL)  grain mustard
1 lb (500 g)  pork tenderloin
1 each Ontario sweet green, red	and yellow pepper, cut into 6 strips
1 each Ontario green and yellow	zucchini, cut into 1-inch (2.5  cm) thick
12 large Ontario Mushrooms
12 Ontario Cherry Tomatoes
2 tbsp (25 mL) vegetable oil
1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme
Pinch salt and pepper
Half lemon

In shallow glass dish, spread mustard over pork.  Refrigerate to marinate for 4 to 6 hours.  Remove from refrigerator for 15 minutes before grilling.
In large bowl, toss together sweet peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, tomatoes, oil, thyme, salt and pepper until vegetables are coated.  Cook pork for 5 minutes turning and basting with marinade occasionally.
Add peppers and zucchini; cook, turning vegetables occasionally and basting pork, for 10 minutes.  Add mushrooms; cook for 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes, cook for 5 minutes.  Continue cooking until vegetables are tender and juices run clear when pork is pierced.
Transfer pork and vegetables to platter; tent with foil and let stand for 5 minutes.  Squeeze lemon juice over vegetables.  Slice pork and serve.

Stuffings

Fire-cooked foods benefit (from the inside out) from moist stuffings that help retain precious juices. Use whole, cooked grains, herbs and nuts to fill scooped-out apples, pears, peaches, apricots, peppers, onions, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, and mushroom caps, then brush with olive oil and grill until crisp-tender. Tuck sprigs of herbs with onion or apple and a dash of lemon under the skin of chicken or into pork pockets.

Pesto & Goat Cheese Stuffing

Toss equal amounts of basil pesto with creamy goat cheese and slip beneath the skin of chicken breasts or pile into upturned portobello mushroom ‘cups’ before grilling.

Rubs, Dusts and Pastes

Popular in the American Southwest, dry rubs or “dusts” are kneaded into meats or the flesh of dense vegetables just before cooking or smoking. Every flame chef has a signature blend of dried herbs and spices – never salt because it draws liquids –  ready to season and add grit to their grill.

Wild Fire Rub

Make plenty of this incendiary dust and store in a cool, dry cupboard.

1⁄4 cup whole, dried chilies<br>

12-inch stick cinnamon

2 whole bay leaves

2 Tbsp whole mustard seeds

1 Tbsp whole fennel seeds

1 Tbsp whole cumin seeds

2 tsps coriander berries

2 tsp whole black peppercorns

1⁄2 tsp whole cloves

In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, roast chilies, cinnamon, bay leaves, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander berries, peppercorns and cloves over medium heat until they emit a rich aroma; about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a mortar and pestle (or electric grinder), pound the roasted spices to a fine powder. Rub 1 - 2 tablespoons into both sides of squash, eggplant, or shiitake mushroom filets, fish, or chicken, before grilling. Makes 1⁄2 cup.

For wet rubs or “pastes,” a variety of pungent condiments including anchovies, citrus peel, fresh garlic, berries, prepared mustard, horseradish, yogurt or dried fruit are pounded together in a mortar and pestle (or ground in an electric coffee grinder) along with herbs and spices. Pastes are made just before each use and are often applied to one side only.

Persillade

In French cooking, when parsley is chopped with garlic to garnish a dish, the term á la persillade is used. Ours takes a Mediterranean twist with the addition of green olives and nuts.  Spread leftover persillade on tortillas and toasted bruschetta or toss with grilled vegetables.

2 cloves garlic

4 anchovies

1⁄4 cup snipped parsley

2 Tbsp coarsely chopped pecans

40 pitted green olives

1 Tbsp snipped thyme

1 Tbsp snipped oregano

2 - 4 Tbsp olive oil

In a mortar and pestle (or blender), pound the garlic, anchovies, parsley and pecans to a coarse mince. Add olives, thyme and oregano and pound to a fine mince. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the mixture and continue pounding until it reaches a paste consistency. Store in refrigerator 2 to 3 days. Makes 1 cup.

Herb Mops and Bastes

Tart, sweet, savoury or consisting simply of oil, vinegar or butter, bastes are brushed, spooned, mopped or squirted on thick and often to keep food moist while cooking over an open fire.

Make basting mops or brushes out of woody herbs by cutting oregano, mint, lavender, thyme, sage, lemongrass or rosemary to equal lengths of 4 to 6 inches.  Strip leaves from one end, leaving 2 to 3 inches of leaves at the other end. Using string or a long twist tie, bind several of these sticks together to form a fragrant, natural basting broom.

Dijon-Tarragon Mop Sauce

juice of 1 lemon

1⁄3 cup beer

1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp snipped tarragon

1 Tbsp snipped savory

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Use herb mop to brush on meats and vegetables during cooking. Pass remaining sauce at the table. Makes 1 cup.

Marinades, Sauces, Glazes

Any combination of herbs, minced fruit or vegetables, extracts and spices may be mixed with citrus juices, soy sauce, wine, and vinegar for steeping or marinating grill-bound food.  Kiwi and papaya have enzymes that break down proteins, making them useful in tenderizing tougher cuts of beef.

Ki-Lime Marinade

2 kiwi fruit, peeled and mashed

1⁄4 cup soy sauce

1⁄2 cup orange juice

juice of 1 lime

3 Tbsp minced onion

2 Tbsp chopped fresh lemon balm

Combine all ingredients to form a smooth marinade. Pour over meat or vegetable strips and refrigerate 4 to 8 hours. Makes 1 cup.

Roasted Pepper Sauce

Sometimes used during cooking to add flavour, sauces more often augment the taste of fired foods after cooking.

1⁄4 cup canned chipotle chilies

1⁄4 cup basil pesto

2 sweet red peppers, roasted, skin removed

1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

In food processor or blender, combine all ingredients. Use immediately or store in refrigerator. Makes 1⁄2 cup.

Piquant BBQ Glaze

Usually sweet, often clear, glazes give a professional flavour and finish to grilled foods.  Applied during the last 10 minutes of cooking, glazes are brushed on several times just before serving.

1⁄4 cup canned chipotle chilies

11-inch piece candied ginger

1 clove garlic

1⁄2 cup chili sauce

1⁄3 cup apple juice or beer

1⁄4 cup rice vinegar

3 Tbsp molasses

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp finely chopped onions

3 whole allspice berries

2 whole cloves

1 stalk fresh lemon grass, lightly pounded and cut in half

With mortar and pestle or blender, purée chilies, ginger, and garlic.

In a small saucepan, combine chili sauce, apple juice, vinegar, molasses, soy sauce, onions, allspice, cloves and lemon grass; stir in puréed chili mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, strain or just remove and discard allspice, cloves and lemon grass. Use immediately or keep refrigerated until ready to use. Makes 11⁄4 cups.

Herb Wrappers

Lovage, grape, angelica, burdock and green maple leaves make great cooking pouches for sealing in steam and juices of food. When these fresh leaves are not available, beet tops, spinach, chard and even romaine lettuce leaves stand in.

Trout with Leeks and Mushrooms in Angelica Leaves

Use 4 inch to 20 inch sheets of parchment paper if fresh leaves are not available. Fold each sheet in half and trim into a large half heart shape. Open and place stuffed fish on one side of the heart.  Fold other half of heart over fish, top with leek mixture and roll up the cut ends to seal.

 4 large angelica leaves

 4 Tbsp olive oil

 1 cup chopped leeks

 1 cup sliced mushrooms

 3 Tbsp lemon juice

 1 Tbsp snipped tarragon

 1 Tbsp snipped oregano

 2 tsp Dijon mustard

 1⁄2 tsp salt

 4 fresh fillets of trout, cleaned

 3 Tbsp butter, melted

 8-10 long chive leaves or toothpicks

Trim thick stem and one inch of center rib from angelica leaves; soak in a tub of water for at least one hour.

In large saucepan, heat olive oil and cook leeks and mushrooms until very soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, tarragon, oregano, mustard and salt.

Remove leaves from water and pat dry; brush each with melted butter. Place a trout fillet on each buttered leaf. Divide leek mixture in 4 and spread over each trout fillet. Fold sides of the leaf over trout and roll up so that leaf forms a pouch; tie with chive leaves or secure with wooden toothpicks.  Place over heated coals and cook trout pockets 4 - 5 minutes on each side, turning only once. Serve immediately in angelica pockets. Serves 4.

Herb Skewers

Towards the end of the summer when rosemary, sage, oregano and lavender have grown long and woody, the stems are perfect for kebab skewers. Lemongrass, whittled licorice root and grape root can also be threaded with strips of meat and chunks of vegetables. Cut dried herb stems 8- to 12-inches long, strip off leaves and soak stems in water one hour before using; remove from water and rub with olive oil.

Cut food to a uniform size, about one-inch cubes. Run metal skewer through vegetables and meat to make a hole. Group foods of similar cooking time on the same skewer, with 1/4-inch space between each cube to allow heat to circulate.

Smoking and Plank Grilling

Woody herbs along with hard or fruit woods (never resinous Eastern cedar or pine) burn with an aromatic smoke that cooks and imbues the food with fragrant tones of flavour ranging from sweet to citrusy to woodsy.

Smoking takes hours and the wood chips, shavings or chunks and herb sprigs must be soaked overnight or at least one hour before cooking time.  Use a 3-inch diameter bunch of herbs to 3 cups wood chips. For a smokey flavour, follow manufacturer’s directions for adding smoking materials to lava rocks or briquets when grilling food. Slow cooking foods with only smoke is done in a barrel or specially designed smoker.

First people of the Pacific Northwest developed their own unique method of cooking the fish, seafood, and shellfish that teemed in their oceans and rivers.  Salvaging water-soaked driftwood pieces of Western cedar, maple or oak, they used these slabs to hold succulent salmon, crab or other seafood – perhaps wrapped in kelp or dulse – over a smoldering fire, letting the smoke and the aromatic woods mingle with oils and juices to impart a flavor like no other.

Plank cooking requires 10 x 12 x 5/8-inch slabs of construction grade, untreated wood and a strong, constant heat source (gas grills are best). Soak the wood and the herbs six hours or more before using to cook over the grill. Pile sprigs of thyme, sage, oregano or rosemary on planks first, or swath food in broad leaves or sea herbs. Properly soaked planks should not catch fire but to be safe, keep a spray water bottle handy.

Planked Salmon with Savory and Cranberry Crust

See sources section for information on purchasing Western cedar for plank-cooking. Substitute eggplant quarters for salmon filets if desired.

1 cedar plank, soaked 6 hours+

4 filets Pacific salmon, skin on one side

sea salt

2 Tbsps. butter

2 Tbsps. minced onion

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup dried cranberries or cherries, chopped

3 Tbsps. maple syrup

1/2 cup snipped summer savory

Preheat grill to high.

Season salmon fillets with sea salt, cover and keep at room temperature.

In small saucepan, melt butter, sweat onion over low heat until very soft, about 10 minutes. Add orange juice, increase heat and bring to a boil. Stir in cranberries and maple syrup, reduce heat and simmer gently until cranberries are plump and liquid is reduced, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and stir in savory.

Rub soaked plank with sea salt, place on preheated grill, close lid and heat 3 - 5 minutes. Plank should crackle and smoke. Without removing plank from grill, place salmon fillets on plank, skin side up; close lid and cook 5 minutes. 

Divide cranberry mixture into four. Working quickly, carefully open grill lid; turn fillets over and pat on cranberry mixture. Close lid and continue to bake salmon another 8 to 12 minutes or until flesh is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.    

For more information on products including cedar planks, rubs and sauces visit:   

www.charliechucksfruitwood.com                               

www.plankcooking.com  

Basil Pesto Stuffed Salmon

Basil Pesto:

2 large cloves garlic

2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

3/4 cup olive oil

Chop garlic in a food processor or blender. Add basil leaves and process 30 seconds. Add sunflower seeds and parmesan cheese to bowl and, with motor running, slowly pour in oil. Process until well mixed. Makes 1 cup.

Stuffed Salmon:

1 1.5-kg salmon

1 cup basil pesto

Preheat oven to 250^oF. Clean out cavity of fish, spread 1/2 cup pest inside. Spread remaining pesto on top of fish.

Place in greased baking pan, cover with lid or foil. Bake 10 minutes for every inch in height of fish or until flesh turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Makes 4 servings. Basil Pesto Stuffed Salmon

Basil Pesto:

2 large cloves garlic

2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds

3/4 cup olive oil

Chop garlic in a food processor or blender. Add basil leaves and process 30 seconds. Add sunflower seeds and parmesan cheese to bowl and, with motor running, slowly pour in oil. Process until well mixed. Makes 1 cup.Stuffed Salmon:1 1.5-kilogram salmon

1 cup basil pesto

Preheat oven to 250^oF. Clean out cavity of fish, spread 1/2 cup pest inside. Spread remaining pesto on top of fish.

Place in greased baking pan, cover with lid or foil. Bake 10 minutes for every inch in height of fish or until flesh turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Makes 4 servings.