As we step over the threshold into the official summer season, cooking outdoors becomes as much about seasonal ceremony and social ritual as it does a utilitarian means of putting a meal on the table.
For Corte Madera resident and celebrity chef Tyler Florence, author of “American Grill: 125 Recipes for Mastering Live Fire,” spending time at the grill amidst wisps of aromatic smoke is his happy place, an outlet that provides a respite from the demands of the day and an opportunity to recharge in solitude or among friends and family.
Florence’s 17th cookbook is an in-depth grilling guide in which he champions everything from the Weber Original Kettle to the Big Green Egg. The only assumption is that you know how to turn it on. He reviews the basic techniques for effectively using the different heat zones and shares the accessories, tools, ingredients and tips that set you up for success.
“(Florence) demystifies the process for first-time grillers, and his recipes open up new avenues for more experienced cooks,” writes chef and Berkeley’s Chez Panisse restaurant founder Alice Waters in the foreword.
The 125 recipes are a road map, teaching everything from how to marinade, caramelize and char to using the grill not just for fire and smoke but as an oven and stove top.
Marin celebrity chef Tyler Florence’s Oyster Roast from his “American Grill” cookbook. (Photo by Jason Perry Photography)
All-American classics include double bacon smash burgers, grilled sausage sandwiches, Santa Maria–style tri-tip, smoked pork shoulder with maple sweet potatoes, ultimate barbecue ribs and barbecue chicken lollipops.
In a chapter on side dishes, some require grilling, like the asparagus with miso sesame sauce, and others don’t, such as Marge’s “creamy, briny, crunchy and earthy” potato salad that Florence credits to his mother-in-law.
Several selections show creative breadth with dishes that aren’t typically associated with grilling — the chopped salad pizza, truffle macaroni and cheese, ricotta and honey cheesecake and skillet chocolate chunk cookie, to name a few.
Flavors from around the globe are represented in recipes for spicy muhammara dip, gochujang honey lime wings with kimchi ranch, birria tacos, chicken spiedini, cast iron-grilled tuna tataki, beef kofta with grilled eggplant and seafood and chicken paella.
For those who’d like to simply add a bit of flavor or a touch of tenderizing, there’s a section on rubs and oils, including fresh herb pesto, orange chili oil, avocado barbecue sauce and porcini mushroom rub.
For dessert, and well timed with the bounty of vibrant summer fruits, grilled brie with peaches and hot honey, berry mixed cobbler and strawberry upside-down cake are the call.
Preparing food above a flame is a deeply rooted tradition for Florence that’s inspired by his early days in Greenville, South Carolina, where barbecue is deeply woven into the cultural and culinary fabric of the region. At home, he learned to appreciate the art, tastes and aromas from his father, who took the helm at the backyard barbecue as he readied for Sunday cookouts and tended the turkey in the smoker on Thanksgiving.
During his three decades in the culinary world, if Florence ever appears to step off the radar, it’s often to just add another layer to his offerings with a fervent spirit and entrepreneurial mindset that keep things interesting.
Most recently, he’s achieved acclaim with Miller & Lux steakhouse at San Francisco’s Chase Center, an island vibe outpost at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Hawaii and Miller & Lux Provisions Patisserie and Rotisserie cafés in San Francisco’s Union Square.
Most importantly though, for both master and aspiring home chefs, he’s got an extensive and timeless set of tantalizing recipes that he adeptly makes accessible to all.
Oyster roast
“I always say that the two things that relax me most are riding my motorcycle on a beautiful day out to West Marin and grilling in my backyard at home in Corte Madera,” writes Florence in a recent email. “This recipe combines both things perfectly in giving me the opportunity to take my bike out to Hog Island in Marshall to pick up a bag of fresh oysters and grill them later that day using this quick and easy salt-grilled method that brings together so many of my favorite simple flavors. It’s a gorgeous and festive way to kick off a dinner party or family meal.”
Leanne Battelle is a freelance food writer and restaurant columnist. Email her at ij.lbattelle@gmail.com with news and recommendations and follow on Instagram @therealdealmarin for more on local food and updates on the launch of The Real Deal Marin restaurant search guide.
Recipe
Oyster Roast
Serves 3 or 4
Nestle large oysters on the half shell into a tray full of coarse salt to put on the grill for this quick recipe. The salt not only keeps the oysters stable, but helps distribute the heat evenly as they cook. The oyster butter, a blend of garlic, lemon and parsley, can be made well in advance and lends just enough flavor to the briny shellfish. You can ask your seafood monger to shuck the oysters if you don’t want to do it at home, but be sure to use them right away if that’s the case.
For the oyster butter:
1 stick (4 ounces/115 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the oysters:
Kosher salt, for tray
1 dozen large oysters, shucked, on the half shell
1 lemon, halved
Grilled or toasted bread, for serving
Make the oyster butter
In a small bowl, stir the softened butter, garlic, parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper together until well blended.
Set up the grill
Preheat a charcoal or gas grill to medium-high heat with a target temperature of 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius).
Prepare the oysters
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Spread enough kosher salt to coat a grill-safe sheet pan or baking dish (about 1 inch/2.5 centimeters thick). Nestle the oysters into the salt. Divide the oyster butter among the oysters, placing dollops on top.
Place the sheet pan on the grill and cook until the butter has melted and begins to bubble and the oysters are cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. While the oysters are cooking, grease the grill grates, set the lemon halves cut side down on the grill and grill until nicely charred and caramelized, 2 to 5 minutes.
Serve the oysters with grilled lemon for squeezing and with grilled or toasted bread.
Note: To shuck oysters at home, fold a kitchen towel in half lengthwise. Place the oyster in the middle of the towel and fold it over the top of the oyster, leaving the back of the oyster facing you. Place one hand on top of the towel, firmly holding the oyster in place. Using an oyster knife or “shucker,” wedge the knife in the hinge (soft part) of the oyster, wiggling it until it goes all the way in. Slide the knife up against the lid, all the way to the mouth or front of the oyster, until the lid pops cleanly off. Now use the knife to free the oyster from the bottom of the cup, taking care not to spill the liquid “liquor.” Flip the oyster over to show the “pretty side” and make sure the oyster is free from any bits of shell that may have broken off.
— From Tyler Florence’s “American Grill: 125 Recipes for Mastering Live Fire”