If I stood on a stack of Steven Raichlen’s cookbooks, I just might be able to dunk a basketball. One of the most prolific authors out there (12 tomes and counting), Raichlen is also one of the most intelligent, creative and thorough. Oh, and did I mention charming?
His just-released “Planet Barbecue!” is a compilation of 309
recipes from 60 countries. It’s a tantalizing tour that’ll have you firing up
the barbie even in the rain.
Written in a breezy, conversational tone, the book whisks us through Two Million Years of Barbecue History; introduces us to fascinating people like The Bonfire Brothers (2 Brazilian restaurateurs lured to Texas by none-other than George Dub-yah) and The Barbecue Queen of the Philippines (famed for her spit-roasted pig); teaches us how to tie a Surgeon’s Lock Knot (so that bird or roast doesn’t fall off the spit); regales us with stories of his travels; and delivers 20 “secrets” to The Perfect Burger. (One hint: the fat content of the two cuts of beef must be exactly 22 percent.)
There’s a colorful profile of each country, along with attractive “sidebars” on everything from what to drink with barbecue in Jamaica to the one restaurant you mustn’t miss in Florence, Italy.
Photos are of real people doing real cooking with real passion, instead of stylist-perfect still-lifes. And the recipes, everything from Tuscan Grilled Toasts and Kuwaiti Chile Shrimp to Romanian Garlic Steak and Australian Lamb on a Shovel, are intriguing and delicious. Instructions are clear and concise, with just enough hand-holding. The typeface and lay-out are attractive and friendly to baby-boomer eyes.
I had never tried stuffing a pork tenderloin (they seem too
skinny for that) or spit roasting one either, until I experimented with
Raichlen’s Pork Tenderloin Grilled with Bacon and Prunes. The Brazilian dish
looked beautiful when sliced on the diagonal and offered great flavors and
varied textures. I paired it with Cambodian Coconut-Grilled Corn which was
swabbed with a simple coconut milk concoction that imparted a subtle
sweetness. My next adventure will be the Puerto Rican Pork Shoulder (with Sparkling Barbecue Sauce) pictured here. (Photo by Ben Fink).
Here's the recipe for the unusual corn. "Planet Barbecue!" is available at Amazon.com for $23.10.
COCONUT-GRILLED CORN (POD OENG)
Serves 4
¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons palm sugar or light brown sugar, or more to taste
1 piece (2-inches) pandamus leaf, or 1 or 2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon salt
4 ears of corn, husked or husk stripped back and tied with butcher string
Combine the coconut milk, palm sugar, pandamus leaf or bay leaf, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and let simmer gently until the sugar dissolves, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste for sweetness, adding more sugar if necessary. Remove the pan from the heat and let the basting mixture cool to room temperature.
Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat it to high.
When ready to cook, brush and oil and grill grate. Place the corn on the hot grate and grill it until nicely browned on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side, 8 to 12 minutes in all, turning with tongs. Start basting the corn with some of the coconut milk mixture after a few minutes and baste it again several times as it grills.
Baste the corn one final time and transfer it to a platter or plates, and serve.
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