"Manning" the Grill
With Father's Day being this weekend, I will be making the hike upstate to visit my folks. My parents' house, which is on a lake, is more like a resort of sorts, with people coming in and out all day long, all summer long. So much so, that they really should consider a revolving door.
You see, almost everyone in the surrounding towns is related to me. What can I say? My mother is Irish and you know the Irish: They like to reproduce. Most also are in complete compliance with the open door policy that has been in effect since I can remember. So, as is the case with any holiday, the house will be alive with sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, cousins, dogs, ticks--you name it.
All throughout the summer the grill really puts in overtime making up for the winter months. So, with that in mind, let's just talk about this grill thing. I have to say, I really despise the term "manning" the grill. For some reason, grilling makes men feel more like men. Why? I don’t know yet. But on many occasions, I have personally witnessed a complete and total machismo transformation of any man standing in front of a grill.
It's as if the propane is making them high. What is the thrill of the grill? Is it the oversized tools? Is it the heat? Is it the raw meat? You would think that the silly little aprons printed with those tired old phrases (that they somehow still find amusing) like “Kiss The Cook” or “Kiss Me, I’m Italian” would be embarrassing enough to keep them from wanting to pound on their chests and let out a big Tarzan call!
My problem is this: Women have been cooking over fire for centuries too. We want the same respect. Why aren't we recognized as grillers? Mrs. Ingles would be very upset if she knew that the path she blazed for us was not followed.
So, I raise my tongs in protest, wearing my apron that says "Kiss My A**" in an attempt to overcome this grill prejudice. No more of this stereotypical manning of the grill crap. This year, the grill is womanned!!
The only downside to this is that I will head back to the city with at least a dozen or so newly acquired mosquito bites. They're onto me, I tell you. They must sense that I'm a city girl and are trying to stock up on my blood type because somehow I'm the only one who ends up with bites. Hmmm. It's disturbing really. I can just picture them licking their chops with a buggy, devilish grin and rubbing their little limbs together saying, "Aaaahhh, fresh meat."
Anyway, ultimately I think that most men like to grill because working over the hot flame makes them sweat profusely. This inevitably makes them think that they’re working harder, which in turn warrants an extra beer. Ah ha!
Alright, on Father’s Day let's show our appreciation for their many years of hard work. It's time for a role reversal. Woman the grill, wear a silly apron, and keep yelling into the kitchen, "Hey, honey. Get me another beer would ya?" And then just for kicks, make them do the dishes.
Whenever I go home, I give my father a break from the grilling and make him something he wouldn't normally make for himself. So, I've come up with a recipe that I will be making on Father's Day. We always have a house-full, so I'll make a few batches of these grilled vegetable, fresh mozzarella, and roasted garlic olive caper caviar sandwiches for the whole crew. Have a great Father’s Day and enjoy!
Made with capers, anchovy fillets, fresh parsley, red or yellow bell peppers, eggplant, olive oil, salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar, ciabatta
Serves/Makes: 6
- 8 ounces kalamata olives, pitted
- 1 head roasted garlic
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
- 2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 red or yellow bell peppers
- 1 large eggplant
- olive oil for brushing
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 loaf ciabatta
- 1/4 cup finely sliced fresh basil
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced in 1/2-inch slices
Preheat a grill to high heat.
Combine the kalamata olives, roasted garlic, capers, anchovies, and parsley in a food processor. Pulse-process until the ingredients are coarsely ground. Add the olive oil and pulse-process for 2-3 more seconds. Set aside.
Place the bell peppers on the hot grill. Turn the peppers occasionally until charred and blistered on all sides. Transfer the hot peppers to a heavy duty zip-top plastic bag and seal it shut. Let the peppers sit in the sealed bag for 10 minutes.
Slice the eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices. Brush the eggplant with olive oil on all sides and season with salt and pepper. Place on the hot grill and cook for 3 minutes per side.
Remove the peppers from the bag and peel off the skins. Slice the peppers and scrape out the seeds. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the eggplant and peppers on a heat-proof plate.
Bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Let it simmer until reduced by half. Drizzle the hot reduction over the eggplant and peppers.
Reduce the grill to low heat (or use indirect heat).
Slice the ciabatta horizontally. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Place the bread cut side down on the grill and cook until lightly browned.
Spread the cut sides of the ciabatta with the olive caper caviar. On the bottom half of the bread, layer the eggplant, roasted pepper, basil, and mozzarella. Top with the other half of the bread.
Slice the grilled vegetable sandwich into serving pieces and serve immediately.
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