Source: Adapted from How to Grill, pg. 104
Method: Direct
Serves: 4 generously

Rub should be equal parts coarse salt, cracked pepper, oregano, dried rosemary, and lemon zest.
Drizzle with olive oil

1 lemon
4 ribeye steaks, bone-in; 1-12 inch
thick; 16 to 20 ounces each)
3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Catalan Vinaigrette (for serving)

You’ll also need:

Wood chunks for building a fire or 2 cups wood chips (preferably oak, cherry, or apple), unsoaked

Remove 8 strips of zest from the lemon with a vegetable peeler.
Cut the lemon in half.

No pounding.

Put the steak between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to a thickness of 3/4-inch using the side of a heavy cleaver or with a scallopini pounder.  Arrange the steaks in a large nonreactive baking dish and drizzle olive oil over them, turning the steaks several times to coat evenly.  Place a strip of lemon zest and a sprig of thyme under and on top of each steak and squeeze the
lemon evenly over all.  Let marinate for 20 to 30 minutes while you light the grill.

Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.  If possible, build your fire with wood chunks.  If using a gas grill, place the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat until you see smoke.  When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill and wood chips, toss the wood chips on the coals.  Place the chops on the hot grill grate (reserve the lemon strips) and grill until cooked to taste, 6 to 8 minutes per side for medium-rare, rotating the chops 90 degrees after 3 minutes sto obtain an attractive crosshatch of grill marks.  Place a strip of the reserved lemon zest on each chop after turning them.  Use the finger poke method to test for doneness, or insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the side, being careful not to touch the bone; it should read 140 to 145 degrees for medium-rare.  Transfer the chops to plates or a platter and let rest for 3 minutes before serving. 

Serve with the Catalan Vinaigrette.

CATALAN VINAIGRETTE

Order grilled fare in Barcelona and you’ll receive a trio of sauces: romesco ), alli-oli, and this tongue-tingling vinaigrette.  What makes it more than mere salad dressing is the addition of capers, shallots, tomatoes, and tiny tart cornichon pickles.  This recipe comes from the homey Barcelona chop house, La Tomaquera, and I defy you to find a grilled meat, poultry, sea food, or vegetable that doesn’t come alive in its presence. 

1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
¼ cup red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large or 2 medium shallots, minced (about ¼ cup)
2 tablespoons capers, with juices
6 cornichon pickles, finely chopped
1 ripe red tomato, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the garlic and salt in a large mixing bowl and mash to a paste with the back of a spoon.  Add the mustard and vinegar and whisk until the salt crystals are completely dissolved.  Gradually whisk in the oil in a thin stream: the sauce should emulsify.  Whisk in the shallots, capers, cornichons, and tomatoes.   Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.  The vinaigrette will keep for several days in the refrigerator, but tastes best served within a few hours of making.  Whisk well before serving.

Makes 2 cups, enough to serve 6 to 8

How to use:  Spooned over any type of grilled meat, seafood, or vegetable.
VARIATION:  Some Spanish grill jockeys enrich their vinaigrette with flatleaf parsley and finely chopped hard cooked eggs.

Source: How to Grill, pg. 162
Method: Indirect grilling
Serves: 6 to 8

1 bunch of fresh rosemary
1 small or 1/2 large bone-in leg of lamb ( 4 to 5 pounds)
6 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
6 kalamata olives, cut into slivers and frozen
Extra-virgin olive oil in a spray bottle, plus
3 to 4 tablespoons for basting
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 tablespoon Homemade Herbes de Provence (recipe
follows), or a commercial brand
1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns

You’ll also need:

2 cups wood chips (optional; preferably oak), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained; spray bottle

Strip the leaves off 2 rosemary sprigs.  Finely chop the leaves of 1 sprig.  Set aside the remainder of the bunch of rosemary.

Using the tip of a sharp, slender knife, make a series of 1/2-inch deep holes in the lamb, mostly in the sheath of fat on top, but also on the sides and bottom.  The holes should be about 1 inch apart.  Insert the garlic, olives, and whole rosemary leaves in the holes, one flavoring per hole.

Spray the leg of lamb on all sides with the oil.  Combine the salt, herbes de provence, peppercorns, and chopped rosemary leaves and sprinkle them all over the lamb, patting them on with your fingertips.

Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium.  If using a charcoal grill, place a drip pan in the center.  If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips, if desired, in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat on high until you ssee smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.

When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss half of the wood chips, if desired, on the coals.  Place the lamb on the hot grate, away from the heat, and cover the grill.  Grill until cooked to taste, 1-1/2 to 2 hours for medium-rare.  Every 30 minutes, baste the leg of lamb with oil, using the remaining rosemary sprigs as a basting brush.  To test for doneness, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the leg, but not touching the bone; the internal temperature will be about 125 degrees F for rare,
145 degrees F for medium-rare; and 160 degrees F for medium.  If using a charcoal grill, you’ll need to add 12 fresh coals and 1/2
cup wood chips to each side after 1 hour of grilling.

Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, let rest for 10 minutes, then carve and serve.

Sub-Recipe:
HERBES DE PROVENCE

Makes about 1 cup

3 tablespoons dried rosemary
3 tablespoons dried basil
3 tablespoons dried marjoram
3 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried summer savory (optional)
1 tablespoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground bay leaves

In a small mixing bowl, crumble the rosemary between your fingers to break the needles into small pieces.  Add the remaining ingredients and toss with your fingers to mix.  Store in an airtight container away from light; it will keep for as long as 6 months.

Source: Raichlen on Ribs (Workman Publishing, 2006)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4
Advance Preparation: At least 4 hours for marinating the ribs

For the ribs and marinade:

3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, preferably in strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Asian (dark) sesame oil
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the dipping sauce (hang-nyum jang):

1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced crosswise
2 medium heads romaine lettuce, broken into leaves, rinsed, and spun dry
1/2 cup Korean hot bean paste (optional; see Note)
Korean Cucumber Salad (recipe follows)
Cooked rice as an accompaniment

You’ll also need: A vegetable grate, sometimes called a grilling grid

Place a short rib on a work surface meat side up. Cut the meat off the rib by running a sharp knife between the top of the bone and the fleshy part of the meat.  You’ll wind up with a rectangle of meat.  Starting at a long end, thinly slice the meat sharply on the diagonal with the grain.  The idea is to cut slices of meat that are 1-1/2 to 2 inches wide, 2 to 3 inches long, and about 1/8 inch thick.  Set aside the bone, which will have a little meat attached to each side.  Repeat with the remaining short ribs.

Make the marinade: Place the 4 minced garlic cloves and 1/4 cup of sugar in a mixing bowl and mash them together with the back of a wooden spoon.  Add the 1/2 cup of soy sauce and the sesame oil and 1 teaspoon of black pepper.  Stir to mix.  Stir in the sliced short rib meat and the bones.  Let the short ribs marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce: Place the remaining minced garlic clove and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a mixing bowl and mash together with the back of a wooden spoon.  Stir in the 1/4 cup of soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1/4 cup of water.  Divide the dipping sauce among 4 small bowls for serving.

Shortly before you’re ready to begin grilling, place the sliced garlic and jalapenos in small bowls.  Arrange the lettuce leaves on a plate.  Place the hot bean paste, if using, and the cucumber salad and rice in separate bowls.

Set up the grill for direct grilling; in the best of all worlds, you’ll be using a charcoal burning hibachi).  Preheat the grill to high.  Place the vegetable grate on the grill grate and preheat it as well.

When ready to cook, lightly oil the vegetable grate, using a folded paper towel dipped in vegetable oil and holding it with tongs.

Arrange the beef bones and some of the slices of beef on the vegetable grate.  Grill until cooked to taste, 2 to 4 minutes per side for medium well, or to taste, turning with tongs or chopsticks.  The bones will take a little longer; they should be nicely browned, with sizzling meat on the sides.  After you turn the beef, arrange some of the garlic and jalapeño slices on the vegetable grate and cook until lightly browned, 1 minute per side.  Put the hot cooked rice in a bowl. Serve the grilled meat, garlic, and jalapenos, then continue cooking more meat, garlic, and jalapeños.

To eat kalbi kui, spread a lettuce leaf with a little of the hot bean paste, if using, and top it with rice.  Place a few slices of grilled meat on the rice and top this with some cucumber salad and grilled garlic and jalapeño slices.  Roll the lettuce leaf up like a taco, then dip it in the bowl of dipping sauce.  Serve the grilled bones separately for gnawing on.

Note: Find it in Asian markets, or the ethnic section of your supermarket.

Korean Cucumber Salad

Yield: Makes about 1 cup

3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
2 Kirby (pickling) cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
1/4 medium onion, thinly sliced crosswise

Place the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a nonreactive mixing bowl and whisk until the sugar and salt dissolve.

Stir in the cucumber and onion.  Let the salad marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 10 minutes or as long as 4 hours before serving.