My extended family has lots of cooks but it’s doubtful any of us have more cookbooks at home than my stepbrother, Roger. He keeps them in the pantry, the family room, stacked on his nightstand, and even in boxes in the garage. One book that enjoys a prominent place on the shelf is How to Grill (Workman Publishing Co., 2001), by grilling guru Steven Raichlen. Roger’s copy is so used that the book’s spine is split and the well-thumbed pages are coming undone.
With the grilling season in full swing, we decided to contact Raichlen. The man is a globe-trotting phenomenon, having jetted off to more than 50 countries for a new book and TV show called Planet Barbecue. When we caught up with Raichlen, he was at the Phoenix airport speaking to us by cell phone. The best-selling author, cooking teacher and TV personality was on the road again – to Salt Lake City, to Colorado Springs where he operates a cooking school, and to the Aspen Food & Wine Classic as a featured speaker.
Raichlen features extra virgin olive oil in a lot of his recipes. He loves the flavor. “It’s great stuff,” said Raichlen, author of the best-selling Barbecue! Bible (Workman Publishing Co., 2008) and host of Primal Grill on PBS. “Use it where you’re going to get the most bang for your buck.”
Raichlen likes to use EVOO in marinades and as a glaze misted from a spray bottle over meat on the grill. He also likes to finish a dish such as a Tuscan-style porterhouse steak with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
The grilled pepper salad we feature here is a crowd-pleaser. The peppers are roasted on the grill and the charred skin is removed. If it’s raining or you’re not up for grilling, you also can roast the peppers under a broiler.
The peppers are then tossed with a dressing made from extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, balsamic vinegar and pine nuts. Not only does the pepper salad taste delicious, the brightly colored peppers make for a stunning presentation.
By the way, these peppers would be excellent served with the grilled skirt steak I just featured here or Raichlen’s spit-roasted baby back ribs which we posted on our chefs blog. Either would make for a great Fourth of July feast.
Bon appétit,
Claude S. Weiller
Vice President of Sales & Marketing
California Olive Ranch
