We all have those friends or people in our families whose grilled food always tastes so good. They have mastered the art. They also love to give you their grilling techniques, especially while standing at the pit. We recently learned this:
A “mop sauce” is similar to a barbecue sauce but it is vinegar-based, contains no sugar and is used only for basting, not for serving. A simple version can add great flavor to chicken on the grill. Combine 2 c. cider vinegar, 1 Tbls. Kosher salt, 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, 1 Tbls. red hot pepper flakes and 1 Tbls. tabasco sauce. Using bone-in/skin-on chicken breasts, rub the chicken meat with olive oil, salt and pepper under the skin. Place on a hot grill and brown each side of the breast. Then, using indirect heat, continue to cook, “mopping” on the sauce with a brush until done. You can drizzle a little extra sauce over the chicken when you take it off the grill and let it stand for a few minutes before serving. Serve with Gingered Hash Browns and simple sauteed greens (chard, spinach, kale, etcetera – whatever looks best at market).
In Argentina and Uruguay, chimichurri are a variant of green and red sauces that are mostly served with chorizo (a fresh pork sausage that hasn’t been cured and needs to be grilled) as an appetizer. However, we like to make this easy, delicious sauce (which can also be used as a marinade) and serve it alongside grilled hangar, skirt or flat-iron steak and grilled vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, onion, and sweet pepper.
To Make Green Chimichurri Sauce: Using a food processor, puree 1 c. Italian flat-leaf parsley, 1 c. cilantro leaves, 1/2 c. olive oil, 1/4 c. red wine vinegar, 1 Tbls. lemon juice, 2 garlic cloves, 3/4 tsp. crushed red pepper, 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, and 1/2 tsp. salt.
To Make Red Chimichurri Sauce: In a small saucepan heat 1 med., diced Spanish onion, 1 tsp. saffron threads, and 1/2 c. water until saffron turns water red. Remove to a bowl and let cool. Using a food processor, puree cooled onions with 1/2 c. olive oil, 3 Tbls. sherry vinegar, 1/2 c. coarsely-chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley,1 Tbls. sweet or smoked paprika, 1 lg. clove garlic, and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Tip: Make chimichurri one day ahead to let the flavors marry. You can keep it in the fridge for up to three weeks.
At the moment, you can find young spring onions at local markets and in the grocery stores. Although they have tops like a scallion, they are simply regular onions that farmers pull from their fields to thin their rows. They can be cooked and used like regular onions or leeks. Or, take advantage of their tender and sweet flavor by using them raw.
This raw condiment was placed on the table for every meal on a recent trip to Mexico. It is a green version of fresh salsa that does not call for tomatoes, but is the perfect use for sweet spring onions. You’ll find yourself spooning it over just about everything from morning eggs to grilled pork.
Recipe: Spring Onion and Jalapeno Salsa
Finely chop 1/2 c. spring onions (bulb only), one jalapeno pepper (deseeded) and then combine with juice from one lime, salt and a a twist of freshly ground black pepper. Let stand for about 15 minutes. Place in a small condiment bowl with a spoon to serve.
Note: Don’t waste the green tops: throw them into stir-fries, green salads, and soups.
Makes over 1 cup.
Serve with Greek Salad. This recipe is from Michael Psilakis’ How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking.
1 sm. red onion, thickly sliced
1/2 c. red wine vinegar
Several basil leaves
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1/4 c. crumbled feta
2 Tbls. Dijon mustard
6 cloves garlic, smashed
2 shallots, thickly sliced
2 Tbls. dried Greek Oregano
1 Tbls. coarsely cracked black pepper
3/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
Place a grill pan (preferably cast iron) on a medium heat. Brush onion slices with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill onion until tender. Separate into rings.
In a food processor, combine vinegar, onion, basil, thyme, feta, mustard, garlic, shallots, oregano, salt and pepper. While the motor is running, drizzle in olive oil until smooth. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste.
(adapted from How to Roast a Lamb: New Greek Classic Cooking
)
Confit means to preserve by simmering food in fat (lard or oil) at a low temperature. In the Greek kitchen this is a pantry staple. Garlic is braised in the oven with oil, bay leaf and thyme to use with so many dishes: add to a simple pan sauce, use the oil to make vinaigrette, or drizzle alongside just about any protein.
20-30 cloves garlic, peeled (about 3 heads)
1 dried bay leaf
about 8 sprigs fresh thyme
about 2 c. blended oil (50 percent canola and 50 percent olive)
Kosher salt
Whole black peppercorns
Turn oven on to 300 degrees.
Put garlic cloves in a heavy Dutch oven. Add bay leaf, thyme, pinch of salt, and 15-20 black peppercorns. Cover with oil.
Put a lid on the pan and place in the oven for 1 hour. Remove to cool.
Transfer garlic and oil to a clean jar. Press plastic wrap down directly on to the oil and then place another piece of plastic wrap over the rim. Twist on the lid. When using, to prevent cross-contamination, use clean utensils and place a new piece of plastic wrap on the layer that touches the oil. As long as the cloves are covered with oil, it will last for about 3 weeks in the refrigerator.
Note: Peeling 20-30 cloves of garlic only takes about 10 minutes. Cut off the end, then peel. Larger cloves work better than small. Try to use garlic grown in the USA if shopping at the regular grocery store or buy it from your local farmers’ market; it is less bitter and of better quality.
Serve with gravlax.
3 Tbls. mild brown mustard
1 Tbls. sugar
2 Tbls. white vinegar
3 Tbls. vegetable or canola oil
5-6 Tbls. chopped fresh dill
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a medium bowl, beat mustard, sugar and vinegar. Slowly whisk in the oil. Stir in remaining ingredients.
adapted from Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Contemporary Kitchen
by Monica Bhide. Use this saucy condiment to drizzle over grilled pork chops, chicken or with the Thanksgiving turkey. It can also be used in place of lemon juice over a winter fruit salad. Use within two days.
Makes 1/2 cup
I lg. pomegranate, seeded
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2-in. piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
1/2 tsp. store-bought chaat masala
1 Tbls. light brown sugar
Fine-grain Kosher or sea salt
Place first five ingredients in a food processor and grind to a coarse paste. Add salt, to taste. Store in a covered container in the fridge.
Note: According to Bhide, “MDH and Shan make some of the best packaged chaat masala in the world”.
Makes about 2 cups
4 c. fresh rhubarb (about 1 pound)
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. cider vinegar
1 Tbls. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 Tbls. ground garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
Rinse and cut rhubarb into small pieces. Combine all ingredients, except rhubarb, in heavy large pot. Bring to simmer over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb, increase heat to medium-high and cook until rhubarb is tender and mixture thickens, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. Place in a glass jar and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
3 Tbls. dill, minced
1 Tbls. plus 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbls. shallot, minced
1/4 c. plus 2 tsp. good olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a mini food processor, puree 1 tablespoon of the dill with lemon juice and shallot. In a slow, steady stream, add 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons of olive oil and process until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
Adapted from Simply Mexican by Lourdes Castro. We like this sauce because it adds a very fresh taste and does not require roasting the tomatillos.
Makes about 2 cups
1 lb. tomatillos,
1-2 jalapenos
1 c. cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbls. water, or more if needed to thin
Remove husks from the tomatillos, soak them in water for a few minutes then remove husks. Cut into quarters. Remove stem and seeds from jalapenos and stems from cilantro. Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse to a puree.
For more about us, 
