CRISPY SHIITAKE
Supereasy to make, roasted
shiitake have endless uses. Experi-
ment with thin slices that get crisp
quickly and thicker slices that
retain a bit of meatiness.
Makes about 1 cup
10 oz. large shiitake caps,
stemmed and sliced into
pieces about ½ inch thick
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Position a rack in the center of
the oven, and heat the oven to
425°F. Line a large rimmed bak-
ing sheet with parchment. Toss
the sliced shiitake with the oil
and a pinch of salt, and spread
on the sheet. Bake, rotating the
pan once, until the shiitake are
shrunken, golden brown, and
crisp, 12 to 16 minutes, depending
on the size and thickness of the
mushrooms. Serve immediately.
BALSAMIC GLAZE
It’s easy to make balsamic glaze
by simmering balsamic vinegar
with a bit of brown sugar. It keeps
for weeks. Makes about ½ cup
1 cup balsamic vinegar
6 packed Tbs. dark brown sugar
Combine the vinegar and brown
sugar in a small saucepan or
skillet, and stir well. Bring to a
simmer, stirring and scraping the
pan almost constantly with a sili-
cone spatula, over medium-high
heat. Cook just until the mixture is
viscous and slightly syrupy, about
2 minutes. (It should reduce by
between one-third and one-half
of its original volume. You’ll notice
that the spatula leaves a wider
path that doesn’t fill in as quickly
when scraping the bottom of the
pan.) The mixture will thicken
much more as it cools, so don’t
overreduce.
Remove from the heat, and
let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to
a heatproof container, and cool
to room temperature. Store the
glaze covered at room tempera-
ture for several days or in the
refrigerator for several weeks.
Bring to room temperature
before using.ROASTED
CHERRY TOMATOES
Cherry tomatoes are at the peak
of their season in late summer.
Roasting them intensifies their
flavor. Makes about 1 13 cups
10 oz. large cherry or grape
tomatoes, halved (or
2 generous cups halved)
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher saltPosition a rack in the center of
the oven, and heat the oven to
425°F. Line a large rimmed baking
sheet with parchment.
Toss the tomatoes with the oil
and a big pinch of salt. Arrange
the tomatoes, cut side up, in one
layer on the baking sheet. Roast
until the tomatoes are shrunken
and deep brown around the
edges, 22 to 24 minutes.
Let the tomatoes cool for
about 10 minutes on the pan
and then remove them. Store in
a covered container in the fridge
for up to 5 days. Bring to room
temperature before serving.HERBED
GOAT CHEESE
To make this flavorful spread,
simply mash goat cheese with
garlic-infused oil, lemon, and
herbs for great texture and flavor.
Makes 1 scant cup
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
Pinch of crushed red
pepper flakes
8 oz. fresh goat cheese,
at room temperature
Finely grated lemon
zest, as needed4 tsp. roughly chopped
fresh thyme leaves, plus a
sprig for garnish
4 tsp. chopped fresh mint
Kosher saltIn a small skillet or saucepan,
combine the oil, garlic, and pep-
per flakes over medium-low heat.
Cook, stirring, until the oil is bub-
bling and the garlic is fragrant, 2 to
4 minutes. Remove from the heat,
and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the garlic and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine
the goat cheese, the oil mixture,
lemon zest to taste, herbs, and
a pinch of salt. Mash and stir
together until smooth. If serving
right away, transfer to a serving
dish, and garnish with the
reserved garlic and a sprig of
thyme. If using later, transfer to
a small crock or glass container,
put the garlic cloves on top of the
cheese, cover well, and store in
the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring
to room temperature before
serving.QUICK-PICKLED
RED ONIONS
This easy method for quick-
pickling yields a versatile condi-
ment that keeps well in the fridge.
In addition to onions, try it with
corn, jalapeños, or other peppers.
Makes 2 cups
8 oz. thinly sliced red onions
1 medium clove garlic,
smashed
½ tsp. fresh or dried
coriander seeds
2 strips lemon zest
(optional)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
(optional)
¾ cup white distilled vinegar
¾ cup water
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher saltWash a small, deep glass bowl
or 16-oz. mason jar, and dry
thoroughly. Put the onions, garlic,coriander, zest (if using), and
thyme (if using) in the bowl.
In a small saucepan, combine
the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt.
Bring just to a boil over medium-
high heat, stirring to dissolve the
sugar and salt, and immediately
remove from the heat. Let the
brine sit for a few minutes, and
then pour over the onions and
aromatics. Let the mixture cool
to room temperature for 20 to
30 minutes, and then cover and
refrigerate for 2 hours or over-
night. You can use the pickled
onions the next day, but the fla-
vor will improve over several days.
Store in a covered container in
the fridge for up to a few weeks.RUSTIC HERB OIL
Think of this versatile condiment
as pourable pesto. It’s great
swirled into soup or scrambled
eggs. Makes about 1 cup
2 medium cloves garlic
1 cup loosely packed
fresh basil leaves
½ cup tightly packed fresh
flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup toasted sliced almonds,
toasted pine nuts, or toasted
chopped hazelnuts
½ cup plus 1 Tbs. extra-virgin
olive oil; more as needed
2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly
ground black pepperIn the work bowl of a food pro-
cessor, combine the garlic, herbs,
and nuts. Process until finely
chopped, scraping down the bowl
as needed. Add the oil, zest, a few
big pinches of salt, and several
grinds of black pepper. Process
again until well combined. The
mixture should be loose, but you
can loosen it further with more
oil, if you like. Season to taste with
salt. Store in a covered container
in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bring
to room temperature and shake
to remix before serving.THE TOPPINGS
20 GRILLING 2019