Get ready for a surprise in your own back yard.
The hottest thing off the grill won't require the usual hot-dog relish or ketchup on the side -- unless you mix your favorite condiments with mango-ginger-lime mojo or maybe Thai fish sauce and cilantro.
Ethnic foods are sizzling this season. The trend is so hot it's penetrated that distinctly American institution, the backyard barbecue, land of propane-and charcoal-fed flame, smoke and tong-wielding men dressed in silly aprons.
These foods are "the biggest thing in barbecue right now," says Dave DeWitt, editor and publisher of Fiery Foods and Barbecue magazine and a longtime industry observer. "Manufacturers are always searching for an angle, and they've found one with ethnic flavors."
When the makers of Weber grills surveyed a group of leading chefs, food writers and cooking teachers last year to get their predictions for the barbecue industry in the 21st century, the pros identified no fewer than 10 different ethnic cuisines as the ones to watch, including Mexican, Tuscan, Greek, Chinese, Thai and Caribbean.
A wide variety of ethnic spice rubs, marinades and sauces, all designed for the grill, already have hit grocery-store shelves. Even Heinz North America, maker of the famous ketchup, has gotten into the act. In March, the company released the Mr. Yoshida's line of sauces that can be used on the grill.
"We see it as a huge opportunity that hasn't been tapped," says Michael Mullen, a spokesman for Heinz.
In recent years, Weber-Stephen Products, manufacturer of Weber grills, has sponsored contests to find the best Asian and Mexican barbecue recipes. Betty Hughes, a company spokeswoman, says the emerging ethnic market is considered crucial to Weber's future. "We have a lot of interest in all types of ethnic foods," she says.
Cookbook author Steven Raichlen, the Baltimore native whose best-selling 1998 book, "Barbecue Bible," surveyed the grilling tastes of no fewer than 30 countries, believes the trend was inevitable and is no mere passing fad.
"There's a real globalization of the American diet going on, particularly with the emerging Latin influence," says Raichlen. "I came up in the steak and hot-dogs generation of grilling. But that's changing now."
It's no secret, of course, that America is becoming more diverse. In the past decade, the Hispanic population has increased by 13 million people to a total of more than 35 million, according to recent Census results. For the first time, Latinos surpassed African-Americans as the nation's largest minority group.
Add to that the more than 10 million Asians, nearly 400,000 Pacific Islanders and the 6.8 million Americans who consider themselves members of two or more races.
But it's not just immigrants bringing their outdoor grilling traditions to the United States from places like Korea or Indonesia. It's also Middle America discovering the joys of cooking satay and quesadillas.
"The reason people barbecue is for flavor, and ethnic foods have more flavor. It just makes sense that the two things would merge," says Donna Myers, spokeswoman for the Barbecue Industry Association.
And no country barbecues quite like the United States, where three out of four households own at least one grill (and two of five own two or more). Last year, backyard enthusiasts lighted up the briquettes, or gas, or turned on the electricity and grilled an estimated 3 billion times.
With so much grilling going on, it makes sense that even the most die-hard meat-and-potatoes type of barbecue owner may want to try something new.
"While a lot of our standard American traditions are great, there comes a point where you're looking for more variety," says James Purviance, a Napa Valley-based chef and food writer. "Warmer climate countries have a lot to teach Americans about flavor combinations and techniques. It only makes sense for us to enjoy that."
Purviance is co-author of "Weber's Big Book of Grilling," (Chronicle Books, 2001, $22.95), a survey of barbecue foods from lemonade to sea bass. It is heavy on ethnic flavors -- the steak chapter includes versions with salsa verde, peanut-curry and a Thai steak salad.
"Grilling is grilling. It's not a complicated way to cook," says Purviance, who first developed a feel for foreign grilling during a year in Indonesia. "In other countries, a lot of grilled food is street food -- like satay. They need to cook quickly."
For Americans, grilling has long been about entertaining family and friends. Since the 1950s, the stereotypical barbecue image is of Dad standing over the grill, a beer in hand and the guests standing around him, while Mom is in the kitchen pulling the rest of the meal together.
But in the last decade or two, grilling has become commonplace. The popularity of gas-fired grills has made it convenient -- and surveys by the barbecue industry show more people grill more foods more often.
That's raised the stakes for entertaining on the grill, says Raichlen. Chicken breasts and burgers seem pretty boring fare. Ethnic flavors can spice things up.
"Grilling is still a social form of cooking. It puts the cook and the eaters in the same place," says Raichlen. "People have gotten more receptive to spicy foods, and ethnic food is definitely part of that experience."
Douglas Rodriguez, a Cuban-American chef at Chicama in Manhattan, says ethnic grilling is "all about flavor" since the techniques of cooking on the grill are the same in this country as they are in any other.
"In Latin America, it's just about adding a marinade or a rub. The flavor always starts on the meat," says Rodriquez, who has written a book on Nuevo Latino grilling, "Douglas Rodriquez's Latin Flavors on the Grill" (Ten Speed Press, 2000, $35). "People want food that's more exciting and flavorful. They want high protein and low carbs."
Chris Schlesinger, a Boston area cookbook author and restaurateur, thinks people are bored with grilled European foods and naturally gravitate to tropical flavors that are more "vibrant and alive." Plus, the ethnic grilled foods tend to be healthier because the recipes are less dependent on fat as the source of the flavor.
He points out that grilled foods are seldom subtle to the taste buds. Meats are often charred or smoked, robust flavors that need something spicy to match.
"You don't use a cream sauce on grilled foods," says Schlesinger, owner of East Coast Grill in Cambridge, Mass., and co-author of a monthly New York Times column on grilling. "You need spices, herbs and chilies. You need to play strengths against strengths."
Ethnic foods rarely, if ever, require specialized grilling equipment. Other than spices, Caribbean jerk chicken and shrimp satay need only a plain old charcoal or gas grill and a couple of skewers. In preparing recipes for his cookbook, Purviance found the type of grill made little difference; some of his testers even commented on how gas-grilled foods tasted like they'd been cooked over charcoal.
"A shish kebab is the same as a brochette. Putting food on a sword in Argentina is just like making an Indonesian satay," says DeWitt, who produces an annual barbecue trade show in New Mexico. "It's all the same. It doesn't take much of an effort to sprinkle rubs on meat and put them on the grill."
Schlesinger recommends a spice rub as a good starting point for any backyard chef who wants to explore ethnic grilling. Chutneys, salsas and relishes are another good starting point -- easy-to-make sauces that are thrown together at the last minute.
He also recommends experimentation. Many ethnic cuisines can be distilled to just a handful of ingredients. Want a Thai flavor? Make sure you use lime, fresh ginger and chilies on that chicken breast.
"If you know barbecue, then a rub should be familiar," he says. "First, you start with salt and pepper. Then maybe you add a spice -- maybe cumin -- and you'll see how simple these foods are."
Jerk Rub
(A Jamaican spice mixture rubbed on a variety of meats before grilling)
Makes about 1 cup
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground Jamaican pimento (allspice)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 to 6 hot peppers, finely ground
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Mix together all ingredients to make a paste. A food processor fitted with a steel blade is ideal for this.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a tightly closed jar for about a month.
-- From "Jerk/Barbecue From Jamaica" by Helen Willinsky (Crossing Press, 1998, $12.95)
Asian Grilled-Beef Salad
Serves 4
STEAK AND MARINADE:
1 flank steak (about 1 1/4 pounds)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon, peeled, minced fresh ginger
3 scallions, white part only, sliced
2 to 4 Thai chilies or jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons Asian (dark) sesame oil
SALAD:
1 ounce Asian rice noodles
1 head Boston, bibb or red-leaf lettuce, broken into leaves, washed and spun dry
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, plus mint sprigs for garnish
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Score the steak on both sides. Arrange on a nonreactive baking dish just large enough to hold it. Place the garlic, ginger, scallion whites, chilies and sugar in a large nonreactive bowl and mash to a paste with the back of a spoon. Add soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil and 3 tablespoons of water and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour half the marinade over the steak and marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator, covered, turning several times to ensure even marinating. Reserve the rest of the marinade as a salad dressing.
Cover the noodles in cold water and soak for 1 hour. Taste. If tender, drain well. If tough, cook in boiling water 1-3 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and drain well.
Set up grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.
Line salad plates with large lettuce leaves. Tear smaller leaves to 2 inches. Place the lettuce pieces, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, mint, cilantro and basil in mixing bowl with reserved dressing, but do not mix.
When fire is ready, brush and oil the grate. Place the steak on hot grate and grill until cooked to taste (4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare). Transfer to cutting board and let rest for 3 minutes. Cut steak into paper-thin slices at a 45-degree angle.
Toss the salad and loosely mound on lettuce-lined plates. Place a mound of rice noodles in center. Arrange beef slices on top. Sprinkle with peanuts and place a mint sprig on each salad. Serve at once.
--From "How to Grill" by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing Co., 2001, $29.95)
Poblano and White-Bean Quesadillas
(direct heat)
Makes 8 to 12 servings
2 poblano chilies, about 2 ounces each
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper, with seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 flour tortillas (10 inches)
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
To make the filling, grill the poblano chilies over direct medium heat until evenly charred on all sides, 7 to 9 minutes, turning as needed. Remove the chilies from the grill and place in a paper bag; close tightly. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes to steam off the skins. Remove the chilies from the bag and peel away the charred skins. Cut off the tops and remove the seeds. Place the chilies in a food processor.
In a small saute pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the sesame seeds to the food processor along with the remaining filling ingredients (all except the tortillas and Monterey Jack cheese). Process until smooth.
Place four of the tortillas on a work surface. Spread about 1/2 cup of the filling evenly to within 1 inch of the edge of each tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese over the filling and top with the remaining tortillas.
Carefully transfer the quesadillas to the cooking grate and grill over direct medium heat until the tortillas are well marked and the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes, carefully turning with a wide spatula once halfway through grilling time. Remove from the grill and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Cut each quesadilla into eight wedges. Serve warm.
--From "Weber's Big Book of Grilling" by Jamie Purviance and Sandra McRae (Chronicle Books, 2001, $22.95)
The hottest thing off the grill won't require the usual hot-dog relish or ketchup on the side -- unless you mix your favorite condiments with mango-ginger-lime mojo or maybe Thai fish sauce and cilantro.
Ethnic foods are sizzling this season. The trend is so hot it's penetrated that distinctly American institution, the backyard barbecue, land of propane-and charcoal-fed flame, smoke and tong-wielding men dressed in silly aprons.
These foods are "the biggest thing in barbecue right now," says Dave DeWitt, editor and publisher of Fiery Foods and Barbecue magazine and a longtime industry observer. "Manufacturers are always searching for an angle, and they've found one with ethnic flavors."
When the makers of Weber grills surveyed a group of leading chefs, food writers and cooking teachers last year to get their predictions for the barbecue industry in the 21st century, the pros identified no fewer than 10 different ethnic cuisines as the ones to watch, including Mexican, Tuscan, Greek, Chinese, Thai and Caribbean.
A wide variety of ethnic spice rubs, marinades and sauces, all designed for the grill, already have hit grocery-store shelves. Even Heinz North America, maker of the famous ketchup, has gotten into the act. In March, the company released the Mr. Yoshida's line of sauces that can be used on the grill.
"We see it as a huge opportunity that hasn't been tapped," says Michael Mullen, a spokesman for Heinz.
In recent years, Weber-Stephen Products, manufacturer of Weber grills, has sponsored contests to find the best Asian and Mexican barbecue recipes. Betty Hughes, a company spokeswoman, says the emerging ethnic market is considered crucial to Weber's future. "We have a lot of interest in all types of ethnic foods," she says.
Cookbook author Steven Raichlen, the Baltimore native whose best-selling 1998 book, "Barbecue Bible," surveyed the grilling tastes of no fewer than 30 countries, believes the trend was inevitable and is no mere passing fad.
"There's a real globalization of the American diet going on, particularly with the emerging Latin influence," says Raichlen. "I came up in the steak and hot-dogs generation of grilling. But that's changing now."
It's no secret, of course, that America is becoming more diverse. In the past decade, the Hispanic population has increased by 13 million people to a total of more than 35 million, according to recent Census results. For the first time, Latinos surpassed African-Americans as the nation's largest minority group.
Add to that the more than 10 million Asians, nearly 400,000 Pacific Islanders and the 6.8 million Americans who consider themselves members of two or more races.
But it's not just immigrants bringing their outdoor grilling traditions to the United States from places like Korea or Indonesia. It's also Middle America discovering the joys of cooking satay and quesadillas.
"The reason people barbecue is for flavor, and ethnic foods have more flavor. It just makes sense that the two things would merge," says Donna Myers, spokeswoman for the Barbecue Industry Association.
And no country barbecues quite like the United States, where three out of four households own at least one grill (and two of five own two or more). Last year, backyard enthusiasts lighted up the briquettes, or gas, or turned on the electricity and grilled an estimated 3 billion times.
With so much grilling going on, it makes sense that even the most die-hard meat-and-potatoes type of barbecue owner may want to try something new.
"While a lot of our standard American traditions are great, there comes a point where you're looking for more variety," says James Purviance, a Napa Valley-based chef and food writer. "Warmer climate countries have a lot to teach Americans about flavor combinations and techniques. It only makes sense for us to enjoy that."
Purviance is co-author of "Weber's Big Book of Grilling," (Chronicle Books, 2001, $22.95), a survey of barbecue foods from lemonade to sea bass. It is heavy on ethnic flavors -- the steak chapter includes versions with salsa verde, peanut-curry and a Thai steak salad.
"Grilling is grilling. It's not a complicated way to cook," says Purviance, who first developed a feel for foreign grilling during a year in Indonesia. "In other countries, a lot of grilled food is street food -- like satay. They need to cook quickly."
For Americans, grilling has long been about entertaining family and friends. Since the 1950s, the stereotypical barbecue image is of Dad standing over the grill, a beer in hand and the guests standing around him, while Mom is in the kitchen pulling the rest of the meal together.
But in the last decade or two, grilling has become commonplace. The popularity of gas-fired grills has made it convenient -- and surveys by the barbecue industry show more people grill more foods more often.
That's raised the stakes for entertaining on the grill, says Raichlen. Chicken breasts and burgers seem pretty boring fare. Ethnic flavors can spice things up.
"Grilling is still a social form of cooking. It puts the cook and the eaters in the same place," says Raichlen. "People have gotten more receptive to spicy foods, and ethnic food is definitely part of that experience."
Douglas Rodriguez, a Cuban-American chef at Chicama in Manhattan, says ethnic grilling is "all about flavor" since the techniques of cooking on the grill are the same in this country as they are in any other.
"In Latin America, it's just about adding a marinade or a rub. The flavor always starts on the meat," says Rodriquez, who has written a book on Nuevo Latino grilling, "Douglas Rodriquez's Latin Flavors on the Grill" (Ten Speed Press, 2000, $35). "People want food that's more exciting and flavorful. They want high protein and low carbs."
Chris Schlesinger, a Boston area cookbook author and restaurateur, thinks people are bored with grilled European foods and naturally gravitate to tropical flavors that are more "vibrant and alive." Plus, the ethnic grilled foods tend to be healthier because the recipes are less dependent on fat as the source of the flavor.
He points out that grilled foods are seldom subtle to the taste buds. Meats are often charred or smoked, robust flavors that need something spicy to match.
"You don't use a cream sauce on grilled foods," says Schlesinger, owner of East Coast Grill in Cambridge, Mass., and co-author of a monthly New York Times column on grilling. "You need spices, herbs and chilies. You need to play strengths against strengths."
Ethnic foods rarely, if ever, require specialized grilling equipment. Other than spices, Caribbean jerk chicken and shrimp satay need only a plain old charcoal or gas grill and a couple of skewers. In preparing recipes for his cookbook, Purviance found the type of grill made little difference; some of his testers even commented on how gas-grilled foods tasted like they'd been cooked over charcoal.
"A shish kebab is the same as a brochette. Putting food on a sword in Argentina is just like making an Indonesian satay," says DeWitt, who produces an annual barbecue trade show in New Mexico. "It's all the same. It doesn't take much of an effort to sprinkle rubs on meat and put them on the grill."
Schlesinger recommends a spice rub as a good starting point for any backyard chef who wants to explore ethnic grilling. Chutneys, salsas and relishes are another good starting point -- easy-to-make sauces that are thrown together at the last minute.
He also recommends experimentation. Many ethnic cuisines can be distilled to just a handful of ingredients. Want a Thai flavor? Make sure you use lime, fresh ginger and chilies on that chicken breast.
"If you know barbecue, then a rub should be familiar," he says. "First, you start with salt and pepper. Then maybe you add a spice -- maybe cumin -- and you'll see how simple these foods are."
Jerk Rub
(A Jamaican spice mixture rubbed on a variety of meats before grilling)
Makes about 1 cup
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped scallion
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground Jamaican pimento (allspice)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 to 6 hot peppers, finely ground
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Mix together all ingredients to make a paste. A food processor fitted with a steel blade is ideal for this.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator in a tightly closed jar for about a month.
-- From "Jerk/Barbecue From Jamaica" by Helen Willinsky (Crossing Press, 1998, $12.95)
Asian Grilled-Beef Salad
Serves 4
STEAK AND MARINADE:
1 flank steak (about 1 1/4 pounds)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon, peeled, minced fresh ginger
3 scallions, white part only, sliced
2 to 4 Thai chilies or jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
3 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons Asian (dark) sesame oil
SALAD:
1 ounce Asian rice noodles
1 head Boston, bibb or red-leaf lettuce, broken into leaves, washed and spun dry
1 small sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, plus mint sprigs for garnish
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Score the steak on both sides. Arrange on a nonreactive baking dish just large enough to hold it. Place the garlic, ginger, scallion whites, chilies and sugar in a large nonreactive bowl and mash to a paste with the back of a spoon. Add soy sauce, lime juice, sesame oil and 3 tablespoons of water and stir until sugar is dissolved. Pour half the marinade over the steak and marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator, covered, turning several times to ensure even marinating. Reserve the rest of the marinade as a salad dressing.
Cover the noodles in cold water and soak for 1 hour. Taste. If tender, drain well. If tough, cook in boiling water 1-3 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and drain well.
Set up grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.
Line salad plates with large lettuce leaves. Tear smaller leaves to 2 inches. Place the lettuce pieces, onion, cucumber, tomatoes, mint, cilantro and basil in mixing bowl with reserved dressing, but do not mix.
When fire is ready, brush and oil the grate. Place the steak on hot grate and grill until cooked to taste (4-6 minutes per side for medium-rare). Transfer to cutting board and let rest for 3 minutes. Cut steak into paper-thin slices at a 45-degree angle.
Toss the salad and loosely mound on lettuce-lined plates. Place a mound of rice noodles in center. Arrange beef slices on top. Sprinkle with peanuts and place a mint sprig on each salad. Serve at once.
--From "How to Grill" by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing Co., 2001, $29.95)
Poblano and White-Bean Quesadillas
(direct heat)
Makes 8 to 12 servings
2 poblano chilies, about 2 ounces each
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini or navy beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper, with seeds
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 flour tortillas (10 inches)
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
To make the filling, grill the poblano chilies over direct medium heat until evenly charred on all sides, 7 to 9 minutes, turning as needed. Remove the chilies from the grill and place in a paper bag; close tightly. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes to steam off the skins. Remove the chilies from the bag and peel away the charred skins. Cut off the tops and remove the seeds. Place the chilies in a food processor.
In a small saute pan over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the sesame seeds to the food processor along with the remaining filling ingredients (all except the tortillas and Monterey Jack cheese). Process until smooth.
Place four of the tortillas on a work surface. Spread about 1/2 cup of the filling evenly to within 1 inch of the edge of each tortilla. Sprinkle the cheese over the filling and top with the remaining tortillas.
Carefully transfer the quesadillas to the cooking grate and grill over direct medium heat until the tortillas are well marked and the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes, carefully turning with a wide spatula once halfway through grilling time. Remove from the grill and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Cut each quesadilla into eight wedges. Serve warm.
--From "Weber's Big Book of Grilling" by Jamie Purviance and Sandra McRae (Chronicle Books, 2001, $22.95)