Around the Fire

January 18, 2016
Inspired by their visits to Uruguay and Argentina, chefs Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quinonez Denton incorporated many of the techniques and dishes of Latin American chefs with their own to create Ox, an Argentinian hybrid restaurant in Portland, Ore., that relies on a large Argentinian parilla grill for much of its items. Though its highly effective for many of the restaurant’s dishes, home cooks won’t need to build or buy anything so massive in order to achieve similar results using the recipes found here. Deftly merging toothsome recipes with the unique, smoky quality achieved by cooking over live coals, the duo offer dozens of inspired dishes. Some, like clam chowder with smoked beef marrow bones, green onions, and jalapenos, and a smoked beef tongue with ensalada rusa and sweetbread croutons, are probably best left to the restaurateurs; but even newbies will find coal-roasted oysters on the half-shell, and grilled maple-brined pork chops, tasty and easy to prepare. Though some dishes call for painfully specific ingredients such as turkey butts and lamb hearts, readers shouldn’t run into too much trouble sourcing ingredients, and stand-ins are often recommended. Though this probably isn’t the best resource for novices, experienced grillers and foodies interested in upping their grilling game are sure to find inspiration here.

May 15, 2016

Live-fire cooking is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, both in restaurants and in cookbooks (e.g., Francis Mallmann and Peter Kaminsky's Mallmann on Fire, Russell Moore and Allison Hopelain's This Is Camino). Here, Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quinonez Denton, the chefs and owners of Ox Restaurant in Portland, OR, present visually appealing recipes such as grilled maitake mushrooms with smoked sea salt and green onions; ash-seared lamb loin with celery, cilantro, charred orange, and cumin-chile oil; and vanilla bean tres leches cake with marionberry ice cream. Aided by writer and recipe developer Stacy Admiando (The Cookiepedia), the authors have adapted these dishes for home cooks, and they advise grilling over wood or charcoal. The more challenging, multicomponent restaurant offerings will be beyond the ability of novices, but they'll inspire foodies and epicures. VERDICT Providing plenty of eye candy for aspiring and experienced grillers, this title will appeal to advanced cooks.

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