Published: July 01, 2008 11:08 pm         

Hot on the grill

Tamarack chef shares some new recipes for that next family cookout

Declare your independence from the kitchen and head outdoors for your Fourth of July cookout.

Tamarack’s executive chef Jamie Henderson has found some interesting things besides hot dogs and hamburgers over the coals.

Take quesadillas, for instance.

“You have to be careful, because flat breads are fragile, and you have to work with them quickly and keep them on indirect heat, but you get some nice new kinds of flavor from making quesadillas on the grill,” he said.

Especially when the stuffing includes avocado, sweet corn, Fontina cheese, some red onion, cilantro and lime juice.

“The lime juice brings out flavors in the other ingredients, and the tartness plays against the sweetness of the corn. It’s a nice flavor balance.”

Brining pork before placing it on the grill adds new flavor options as well. “Don’t brine it too long, or the pork will burn on the grill. You want to use offset grilling for this recipe as well, because the brine will make the meat super juicy and moist.”

And just what is SAVARUCA salmon, a third option Henderson prepares for the grill?

“It gets its name from SA for the salmon, VA for the vanilla, RU for the rum and CA for the caraway seeds.”

The salmon is also prepared with the plank method, transferring the flavor seasoned into the wood through an infusion into the meat.

“Cooking on the plank keeps the meat from falling down into the fire, and it also gives the fish that woody, smoky flavor,” Henderson said.

Here are the methods he recommends:

Grilled crab, avocado and sweet corn quesadillas

Honey-cider brined pork loin

SAVARUCA planked salmon