DCS Grill Magazine February 2016 by Fisher & Paykel

GRILL ISSUE

THE ART OF GRILLING

FEBRUARY 2016

PG.4

AMERICAN CRAFT

PG.6

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Chef Kristin Essig Bellegarde Bakery Paradigm Gardens Urban Farm Higgins Seafood Chef Alex Harrell's Guide to Grilling

PG.32

SOUTHERN COMFORT Steve Rabalais' Kitchen in Baton Rouge

PG.38

GET YOUR SPRING GREENS Grilled Salad of Cucumber and Shrimp Lamb with Toasted Almonds and Cumin Salmon and Asparagus Cherry and Chocolate Cigars

PG.48

GEAR American Craft DCS Indoor and Outdoor Design Insights DCS: Putting Performance First For 30 Years The DCS Outdoor Grill DCS Grill Accessories

NEW LIGHT

As we pass the winter solstice and the New Year gets underway, signs of life are everywhere. For those of you who spent the season wrapped up warm or braving winter’s snowstorms, it’s time to dust off the grill and start enjoying the longer days. For those who are lucky enough to live in warmer climates, like the charming and hospitable folk from Louisiana who feature in the pages of this edition, the grilling probably never stopped. Grill takes a trip south this issue, to the food-celebrating city of New Orleans, where a youthful set of energetic artisans and chefs are redefining local cuisine with a lighter touch — without forgetting the braises, gumbos, fried catfish and Cajun and Creole influences the region is famous for. We also visit the Baton Rouge, the state’s second-largest city, where award-winning builder Steve Rabalais has created an enviable outdoor kitchen on a grand scale, using his DCS appliances to cater to a crowd of family and friends. Happy grilling!

AMERICAN CRAFT

Hand-made products in natural materials from the new school of American design, teamed with homegrown, grill-friendly tastes.

DCS Bamboo cutting board. $49 dcsappliances.com Black Kilim fair-trade cotton throw from Home of the Brave, New York. $70 homeofthebravenyc.com Kam dinner plates in oatmeal by Brooklyn ceramicist Eric Bonnin. Each handmade plate is unique and signed. $46 each ericbonninceramics.com FEHLO’s timeless maple salad tongs are made from domestically sourced hardwoods in Asheville, North Carolina, $34 (sm) and $44 (lg) fehlo.com The hand-turned tall copper tumbler from Florida design studio Makr has a satisfying weight. $32 each makr.com Californian fine artist Jen Garrido screenprints graphic designs onto linenmix napkins. $32 for two jennypennywood.com Amagansett Sea Salt is harvested by hand from the Atlantic Ocean and naturally solar-evaporated in small batches on Long Island, New York. $16.95 (2.5oz) amagansettseasalt.com Homeboy’s Habanero hot sauce from Phoenix, Arizona. $10 homeboyshabanero.com Marshall’s Haute Sauce, Smoked Habanero Barbecue sauce from Portland, Oregon. $14 marshallshautesauce.com Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm hot sauce from New York. $12 brooklyngrangefarm.com

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Sam Eichblatt, text Mark Wickens, images

New Orleans is a fascinating mixture of classic Southern hospitality, cultural history and good old-fashioned partying, the bright colors of the narrow shotgun-style houses in the French Quarter contrasting with the moody, waterlogged landscape and trees draped with Spanish moss. Alternately under French, Spanish and American rule, it was established on a swamp and became the South’s largest port in the 19th century. However, the same waters that sustain it have often turned on it, as vacant lots and other reminders of Hurricane Katrina dotted around the city attest. Seafood is a staple here, and it’s not at all unusual for ‘gator and snake to appear on the menu. Chargrilled oysters and crawfish boil — a spicy mix in which small, bright-orange freshwater lobsters are cooked — are fixtures, and it has a proprietary sandwich — the po’ boy, an airy submarine roll with a crisp crust, filled with meat or fried seafood (fried oyster being a hot favorite). Today, it’s home to some top chefs, and its burgeoning independent food scene builds on a rich cultural heritage and natural bounty as the recently rechristened “NOLA” grows into one of the USA’s most idiosyncratic destinations.

CHEF KRISTEN ESSIG Chef, Meauxbar New Orleans, Louisiana

Dressed in her trademark chambray, chef Kristen Essig is a highenergy presence in Meauxbar’s elegantly lit dining room, tasting the oyster special for tonight’s menu, giving instructions, taking calls and answering questions in a purposeful blur of activity. After service starts, she’s back in the kitchen for the full stretch, turning out her impeccably rendered menu of Southern influenced, internationally inspired dishes.

She doesn’t do chef’s whites, she says, be-

She also brought nearly an entire commu-

cause she’s not about formality. “It’s a per-

nity along with her. When she moved over

sonal choice — I’d never tell other people not

from the now-shuttered Ste. Marie, one of

to wear one. But I find whites uncomfortable

Meauxbar’s fellow restaurants in the LeBlanc

and impractical, and I don’t need a jacket to

+ Smith group, around 75 percent of the staff

tell me what I do.”

came along for the ride. “We kept the family intact,” she says.

Similarly to her attire, her food takes a long, cool look at tradition and decides which parts

Meauxbar was already a successful neigh-

of it to use and which to discard. Many of

borhood institution of ten years’ standing,

Meauxbar's dishes were influenced by the

so her approach was less about starting from

south of France, but arrive on the table with

scratch than gently stirring herself back into

uniquely Southern ingredients; what might

the French Quarter community mix; it helps

be a traditional trout amandine is served

that it’s also her community, where she origi-

here as a Louisiana gulf fish amandine, with

nally trained and now lives again.

popcorn rice, a rare Cajun variety with a strong, toasty, nutty taste reminiscent of the cinema

It’s a similar case with her suppliers. “I’ve

snack. There are duck fat-roasted sunchokes,

always worked with small, independent

rather than potatoes, and pork-belly rillettes

people,” she says. “I’ve always had ‘that guy’

that come with chicharrones, Latin American

— the shrimp guy, the bread guy, etcetera.

pork rinds.

I used to manage a farmers market, which is essentially managing 30 small businesses.

Essig is a star on the rise on the New Orleans

For them it’s not just the craft but the tradition

food scene, but it has not been an overnight

and community; it’s a lot of work. I’ve always

success. The ascent has taken grit and deter-

had a really deep appreciation for what small

mination, and as a result, she brings 15 years

farmers go through, so I want to take care

of experience as a line cook, personal chef and

of them and see that the money stays within

executive chef to the table.

a certain area. 011

It’s important that people can grasp that sense of place, to understand why someone’s working so hard, and how that translates to food on the table.” Essig’s kitchen doesn’t outsource much, so when it does, she can justify buying the highest quality of products available. Meauxbar is one of three restaurant sponsors of Paradigm Gardens’ urban farm, as evidenced in many dishes featuring its vegetables — for example, traditional, rich chicken liver pâté, brightened with the addition of a vibrant beet caviar. Her relationship with Higgins Seafood came organically; the family supplied the previous owners of Meauxbar. “Tiffany is such a fantastic person,” says Kristen. “She delivers everything herself, and it’s a high quality product, at a higher price point, and deservedly so.” When it comes to bread, Essig says her first inclination was to do away with free tableservice bread, but there was such an outcry from the restaurant’s regulars she reconsidered, but upgraded to Bellegarde Bakery. “Graison is a true artisan,” she says. “It’s a cliché, but it’s true. He’s a master of his craft, who cares about the people who work with him and what he does. He wants people to appreciate the bread — he doesn’t want to make bread for sandwiches, you know? He’s the real deal.” Generally, her approach is not about reinventing the wheel, she says. Her favorite dishes on the menu are those rooted in comfort and accessibility, seasonality and local ingredients. “I just want to make food that people want to eat on a Tuesday night,” she laughs. “Not their birthday or their 50th wedding anniversary. Just good, honest food.” meauxbar.com

BELLEGARDE BAKERY

For Bellegarde Bakery’s founder, Graison Gill, bread is both the medium and message. The 28-year-old baker is a self-described custodian of the craft of stone-milling, and his bakery is one of very, very few in the country to mill its own flour using the ancient technique. The bakery’s mill, with its Paleozoic-Age barre granite stones, was custom-designed and built by Andrew Heyn, a fellow baker and stonemiller from Vermont, one of a small community of like-minded souls who are applying a farmto-table philosophy to bread-making. On a good week, the small bakery — located in an unassuming block of stores in an area known as the Hoffman Triangle, a neighborhood still, a decade on, struggling to recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina — produces around 4,500 pieces of bread, specializing in ciabatta, country sourdough, a couronne (a crown-shaped bread with macerated fig) and, of course, baguettes both white and whole grain, the latter from a recipe of Graison’s own that incorporates stone-ground, whole-grain corn.

The difference, however, is that every step of the process is done entirely by hand. “There is no hyperbole when we say that,” says Graison. “There’s a mixer to incorporate the ingredients, but other than that, we use a style of baking called ‘stretch and fold’, where you develop strength in the bread by folding it by hand. That means that, on a busy day, we’re processing almost 1,000 kilos of dough and folding it by hand.” The bread ferments and rises overnight, for a minimum of 18 hours, and at 4:30 each morning, his small but dedicated team of fresh-faced bakers arrives to start baking it. When the bread stands cooling on the racks, ready to be bagged for delivery, the process begins anew — fresh flour is milled for the next day, ingredients are measured, mixed, shaped and proofed. “From loading the dough into the oven, packaging the loaf in a paper bag, and carrying it to the customer's doorstep, every single aspect is midwifed by someone who is part of the bakery,” says Graison. A big part of Bellegarde’s mission is to prove how nutritious grain is, in a world where commercial bakeries routinely reduce it to pulp. Compare the nutritional value of a well-made $7 loaf of bread that keeps on the counter for five days to a $5 latte, a $13 glass of Sonoma chardonnay or an $8 micro-beer, and it’s not a big leap, he says: “We need to reimagine the paradigm of $3 bread from Walmart.”

That is, bread that is aerated instead of fermented, and uses wheat selected to be bland, strong and able to withstand pesticides and the mechanized pummeling of commercial production — the cause of many peoples’ gluten sensitivity, he believes. “As a business owner, I'll compromise on anything but the integrity of my bakers, and the quality of the ingredients that we use. We're not on Rodeo Drive. That's a conscious choice. Of course, I’d love to showcase our work in a beautiful building, but at the same time, we’re selling the steak — we’re not selling the sizzle. Anything that’s extraneous is tossed out the door, or told to just stay at the door.” bellegardebakery.wordpress.com

PARADIGM GARDENS URBAN FARM

Like many urban farms, Paradigm Gardens presents an incongruous picture, its orderly raised beds of kale, radishes and beets alive and verdant against the backdrop of two stationary trailers that act as sound barriers against the roaring Pontchartrain Expressway overhead, with inclined roofs that channel rainwater into barrels stored beneath. A small family of goats eagerly noses for discarded leaves in their pen at the rear of the garden, next to the beehives, and around it all, a trio of wobbling free-range guinea fowl scurries and squawks. The garden supplies seasonal vegetables, herbs and flowers to a small group of New Orleansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; best restaurants, all of them close to its downtown location. It also hosts private dinner events at wooden picnic tables amid the farm plots and doubles as a small outdoor music venue â&#x20AC;&#x201D; founders Joel Hitchcock Tilton and Jimmy Seely are, amongst their other credentials, music producers specializing in Caribbean reggae, which has a close affinity with the New Orleans

jazz scene, due in part to the transmission of shortwave radio signals across the Gulf of Mexico. “The guineas are kind of our mascots,” says Joel a former high-school teacher, now farmer, who founded Paradigm with family friend Jimmy. The two both hail originally from Wisconsin — where Joel’s mother sent him to work on an Amish farm every summer — and were introduced by Joel’s brother, who is also an organic farmer. “After Hurricane Katrina, the city had a lot of blighted lots,” says Joel. “Jim originally started a community garden on Delachaise Street by taking over two empty lots and selling produce to restaurants, and then using that money to buy seeds and pay local kids to work in the garden.” However, to strike the balance between financial and environmental sustainability, they needed to scale up and, like any farm, to secure yearround committed buyers for their crops. After Joel came on board, the two pitched the concept to local restaurant Patois. The chef, Aaron Burgau, connected them with other restaurants, including Coquette and Meauxbar, with which they’ve now been working for more than a year, and the farm expanded to this vacant lot on South Rampart Street, in a neglected part of town halfway between the French Quarter and the Garden District. Produce like these striking heirloom radishes — a mixture of shunkyo, icicle, purple, green and nero tondo black Spanish radishes — often takes center stage, along with lots of blossoms and flowers, to offer their patron restaurants something different and special. “Because we’re small, we grow intensively and efficiently,” says Joel. “We’re organic and we do these funky varieties that chefs love, and so we can justify selling them at a higher price.” paradigmgardensnola.com

HIGGINS SEAFOOD

Denny Higgins describes the town of Lafitte, where he has lived since he was a small child, in laconic terms: “A little land, a lot of water.” Named for a notorious French-American pirate, Jean Lafitte, who used the confusing watery terrain to conceal his smuggling operations from local authorities in the early 19th century, today the community remains small, nautical and a little detached from New Orleans proper. Denny’s business, Higgins Seafood, is located at the very end of the Louisiana Highway, on a peninsula so punctuated with meandering waterways and bayous it’s hard to tell where the land ends and the water begins. For forty years, the Higgins family has run the wholesale and retail seafood business from this humble spot on the Bayou Barataria, where oyster shells crunch underfoot and the aromatic smell of crawfish boil, a potent mix of cayenne, garlic, paprika, thyme, dill and bay leaves, permeates the air. Denny’s daughter, Tiffany — who, with her husband, is the third generation of her fam-

ily to run the business — lives next door, and keeps a small herd of goats and kumquat trees that produce a steady supply of fruit and jam. Every day, starting around 5am, the small team receives catches of blue crab, catfish, shrimp, oysters and crawfish for delivery to some of New Orleans top restaurants, including Meauxbar and Angeline (see page. 30). Everything is seasonal and depends on water temperature; crabs, for example, shed their shells as they grow and go through the prized soft-shell phase in March, followed by a “skinny” phase where they eat more to grow into the new shell and become “full” again. Oysters need cold water, while shrimp arrive in spring and fall. While it’s the only processing facility on the bayou, the processing that takes place runs on old-fashioned labor rather than machinery; the small, bright-orange crawfish are cooked in a spicy broth simmering in a drum and sold directly to customers, while crabs are graded according to quality, boiled and the sweet flesh carefully “picked” by hand. “My uncle, mom, dad and two ladies who have always done it come in for the picking,” says Tiffany, who runs the deliveries up to New Orleans and maintains strong relationships with the company’s restaurant clients. “When we’re shucking oysters, we start at 5am. And then we wait for the fishermen to come in again. It’s a long day. Fishing is hard work, and people in this area are hard workers — but we can go boating and fishing whenever we like. It’s a good way of life. It’s family oriented, and everyone’s involved.” facebook.com/higginsseafood

ISRAELI COUSCOUS SALAD WITH CRISPY

CHEF KRISTEN ESSIG'S RECIPES

CHICKPEAS

USE THE BEST OF LOCAL PRODUCE TO CREATE LIGHT, FRESH DISHES FOR SPRING.

A delicately tossed mix of crunchy, spring vegetables, piquant spices and yogurt.

SUMAC SPICE MIX FOR CHICKPEAS ¼ cup kosher salt 2 tablespoons toasted, ground cumin seed 3 tablespoons sumac 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper 1½ teaspoons dried lemon zest CRISPY CHICKPEAS 1-15 ounce can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed well in cold water. Dry well! 3 cups canola oil 2 tablespoons (more or less if you like) of the Sumac Spice Mix D I L L YO G U R T D R E S S I N G 1 cup greek yogurt ¼ cup buttermilk 2 tablespoons dill 1 clove garlic, minced fine Zest and juice of ½ a lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mustard,

DIJON VINAIGRETTE

vinegar, shallots and sugar. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. 2 Slowly whisk the oil into the vin-

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

egar base to emulsify. 3 Season with salt and

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

pepper, to taste and refrigerate.

1 tablespoon diced shallot 1 tablespoon sugar

CUMIN ROASTED CARROTS

¾ cup olive oil blend

1 Preheat the oven to 425°F. 2 Toss the

Salt and freshly ground black pepper,

carrots with the olive oil, salt, pepper and

to taste

cumin. 3 Roast for 12-15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time. 4 As

CUMIN ROASTED CARROTS

soon as they take on a bit of color, remove

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into large

from oven and add the zest and juice of the

batons cleaned and peeled (or 25–30 baby

orange to them. 5 Allow them to cool and

carrots washed and trimmed)

serve room temperature.

2 tablespoons olive oil 1½ teaspoons toasted, ground cumin

TO SERVE

Salt and pepper

1 Toss the couscous with the cumin roasted

Zest and juice of one orange

carrots, feta, kale and dijon vinaigrette. 2 Season with salt and pepper. 3 Place some of the

TO SERVE

dill yogurt on the bottom of the serving plat-

2 cups boiled & cooled Israeli couscous

ter and put the tossed salad on top. 4 Garnish

1 bunch kale, washed, stripped off

with the crispy chickpeas.

the stem and torn ½ cup of sheeps milk feta, drained of brine and crumbled

INSTRUCTIONS SUMAC SPICE MIX FOR CHICKPEAS

1 Mix all together and set to the side.

CRISPY CHICKPEAS

1 Drain the chickpeas well, transfer to a paper towel lined sheet pan and refrigerate. 2 Once cool and dry, fry at 350°F for 6 minutes. 3 Drain well and transfer to a large stainless steel bowl. 4 Toss well with chickpea spice. 5 Cool well, label, date and store at room temperature.

D I L L YO G U R T D R E S S I N G

1 Mix all ingredients together, label, date and refrigerate.

DIJON VINAIGRETTE

pickling liquid 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 cups peeled, diced apple (granny smith works great) 2 tablespoons diced shallot 2 tablespoons picked tarragon leaves ¼ cup toasted, chopped walnuts ¼ cup of Banyuls aiol

INSTRUCTIONS PICKLED CELERY

LOUISIANA

1 Place diced celery in a pint container. 2 Bring

CRAB CLAW

boil. 3 Pour the hot brine over the prepared

the water, rice wine vinegar and sugar to a

WALDORF SALAD

celery and let cool. 4 When cool, label, date

A lighter, seafood-inflected and southern

BANYULS AIOLI

version of the traditional brunch dish.

1 In the workbowl of a food processor, combine

and refrigerate.

the egg yolks, dijon mustard, lemon juice and Banyuls vinegar. 2 Process until frothy and then emulsify the oil blend in slowly. 3 Season

PICKLED CELERY

with salt and pepper, and thin with water as

6 ribs celery, diced

needed (if at all).

¾ cup water ¾ cup rice wine vinegar

C R A B C L AW WA L D O R F S A L A D

2 tablespoons sugar

1 Mix all of the ingredients together lightly excluding the Banyuls aioli. 2 Season with

BANYULS AIOLI

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste,

3 egg yolks

then toss with the Banyuls aioli. 3 Use only

1 tablespoons dijon mustard

enough to just cover, you want the salad to

1 tablespoon lemon juice

be lightly coated, not drowning in mayonnaise.

2 tablespoons Banyuls vinegar

4 Serve the salad slightly chilled and dress right before serving.

1 ½ cups oil blend salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste ¼ cup water, as needed C R A B C L AW WA L D O R F S A L A D 1 pound Louisiana Crab Claw Meat, lightly picked through to remove any shell 1½ red, seedless grapes, sliced into 2-3 pieces on the horizontal ½ cup pickled celery, drained from

When this happens the butter will cling to the whisk attachment and the buttermilk begins sloshing around the bowl), and butter forms. 8 This recipe yields both butter and buttermilk. 9 Once the butter has formed drain the buttermilk from the butter using a strainer, lined with cheesecloth (you can use the cheesecloth that covered the container while culturing the cream) set over a container. !0 Pull the cheesecloth over the butter and use it to wring any excess buttermilk from the butter with your hands. !1 Remove the butter from the cheesecloth and transfer the butter to a large bowl filled with ice water. !2 Rinse the butter well in

MEAUXBAR

the water, wring out any liquid with your hands

CULTURED BUTTER

!3 Sprinkle well with flake salt to season, then

and then place on a sheet of parchment. roll into logs, refrigerate to store. !4 Serve at room temperature, with fresh, warm, high

Simple, perfect, bread and butter with a slight

quality bread. (Preferably from Bellegarde

tart twist.

Bakery!)

INGREDIENTS 2½ gallons of Progress Dairy heavy cream 2 cups of our Progress Dairy buttermilk (for every 4 cups of cream, you use a ½ cup of buttermilk)

INSTRUCTIONS

1 Combine the heavy cream and buttermilk in a 1½ gallon container. 2 Cover the container with cheesecloth and secure the cheesecloth with a rubber band. 3 Store the container at room temperature for 2 days. Refrigerate. 4 Cultured cream needs to be cold before it can be whipped into butter. 5 To make the butter, fit a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, place 4 cups of cultured cream in the work bowl. 6 Wrap the machine with plastic wrap (to prevent cream from splattering all over the kitchen) and turn the machine on high speed. 7 You are essentially whipping the cream until the cream breaks (cream breaks when the butter separates from buttermilk.

CHEF ALEX HARRELL Angeline, The French Quarter New Orleans

Despite its reputation, southern food isn’t all deep-fried and heavy, says chef Alex Harrell, who opened his own French Quarter fine-dining establishment Angeline last year. Drawing from memories of his Alabama grandmother’s seasonal cooking, he takes a lighter approach to Southern food, minimally manipulating fresh ingredients to bring out the best flavors. One of the most popular dishes on Angeline’s menu, crispy cauliflower with olivade aioli and sheep’s milk cheese, neatly sums up this approach, turning the humble white florets into an earthy, deeply nutty bite of cruciferous heaven.

pepper and gently toss them. The type of oil that you use also matters. High-quality olive and grape-seed oils are great for grilling veg-

ALEX HARRELL'S

etables, because they are less likely to burn

GUIDE TO GRILLING

at higher temperatures.

SPRING VEGETABLES

5 Marinades are a great way to introduce flavor to your vegetables before cooking. Sometimes just a little lemon juice and olive oil for more delicate vegetables, or more robust marinades for vegetables that are more dense or deeply

1 Use high heat/direct cooking for fast searing.

flavored. I love to use harissa with beets.

I like cooking delicate vegetables quickly.

If you marinade, use a high-quality olive oil to

Vegetables like asparagus do not need long

add richness and a little acid to the dish.

cooking, and break down if exposed to longer

I like to use California Olive Ranch oils for my

times on the grill. Try this method with

marinades and cooking, but any good domes-

asparagus, heads of lettuce (grilled lettuce

tic or imported olive oil will work.

makes a great salad), green beans, spring onions, and squash.

6 Vegetables with thicker skins, like potatoes

and beets, can be grilled skin on and directly

I use indirect cooking as a way to lower the

on the grates. The skin will protect the flesh

temperature of longer cooking vegetables

as it cooks and adds a pleasant charred

like potatoes and cauliflower. This adds depth

note. Basting these vegetables with a

of flavor to the final dish. Cauliflower devel-

marinade will season them as they slowly

ops a caramelized flavor when cooked like

cook on the grill.

this and potatoes become earthy and more complex. Generally speaking, a good way

to check if the vegetables have cooked long

I love to toss grilled vegetables with olive oil

enough is to insert the tip of a paring knife

and a little vinegar before I serve them.

into the vegetable. If it slides in and out with

Lindera Farms makes amazing vinegars from

little resistance, then the vegetables are done.

foraged plants, herbs, and fruits in Virginia. And nothing is better than grilled sweet po-

tatoes tossed with a little Muddy Pond sor-

Use skewers to hold vegetables together on

ghum or Poirier’s cane syrup, toasted corian-

the grill. There are a few things to think about

der, and smoked paprika.

when you are selecting a skewer. If you are cooking larger vegetables you will need a

sturdier skewer to support the weight of the

Try grilling potatoes and onions for a unique

vegetables. Also, certain types of herbs like

twist on your potato salad. I like to blanch and

rosemary and lemongrass can be used as

cut fingerling potatoes in half before I put

skewers to impart flavors while on the grill.

them on the grill with the onions. The smoky flavor is perfect with a little grain mustard,

honey, sherry vinegar and olive oil as a dress-

Always season evenly with salt and pepper. If

ing. Chop some green onions and parsley to

the vegetables are cut into pieces, then add

add a bright flavor, and you have a great

them to a bowl with a little olive oil, salt, and

springtime salad. angelinenola.com 33

SOUTHERN COMFORT Sam Eichblatt, text Mark Wickens, images

Just outside Louisianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second city of Baton Rouge, awardwinning builder Steve Rabalais has designed a lavish outdoor kitchen that can cater to a crowd, no matter what the weather.

Everything about Steve and Stephanie Rabalais’ residence is on a grand scale. Its generous proportions and classic, colonnaded New Orleans-style façade are one of the first things visitors see as they enter The Village at Magnolia Square, a growing development just outside Baton Rouge designed to be friendly to pedestrians, with green spaces, a town square, offices, and locally owned stores and restaurants all within walking distance. Designed as a showpiece for Steve’s designand-build firm, Rabalais Homes, the property is one of a portfolio of similar gracious, traditional New Orleans-style custom homes he has built around the Baton Rouge area over the last ten years, winning a slew of awards in the process. Outdoor kitchens, he says, are an increasingly popular request from his clients. “It’s something a lot of the people we build for want. Entertaining happens outside here, so it’s a huge selling feature — I would say that 95% of the time, they ask for one.” He designed the kitchen in his own house, and it’s built to cater to entertaining on a

doors slide back, connecting the area with the

large scale. Like the majority of the outdoor

indoor, sports-themed bar room.

kitchens Rabalais Homes designs, it has a large DCS grill, gas cooktop, fridge, ice-maker and

Like many Rabalais homes, it features a gen-

storage cabinets.

erous balcony on the upper story overlooking the kitchen and pool, with ironwork rail-

“We do a lot of entertaining — it’s what we do!

ings and hanging lights reminiscent of the

We have a good time out there,” says Steve. “I

French Quarter.

wanted the kitchen to be as functional as possible, so I could turn around from the grill and

Louisiana summers can be hot and muggy,

the sink is right in front of me. It has a great

and because of its proximity to rivers and bay-

flow when you’re working out there.”

ous, mosquitos are part of the package, so he installed remote-controlled screens that can

The couple and their friends certainly put

be lowered over each archway to keep them

the kitchen through its paces. It overlooks

out and control glare from the sun.

the large swimming pool, which flows from outside into a covered, swim-up area where

Adjacent to the kitchen, Steve — a dedicated

guests can chat to each other across the mar-

foodie, who part-owns Stab’s, a steak and

ble-topped bar. On the other side of the pool,

seafood restaurant across the street — has

there’s a dining table that seats 10, and a fire-

also installed an impressively large commercial

side lounge area. In warm weather, large glass 36

Steve's friend Daniel making char-grilled oysters, a local favorite.

smoker, which can take a whole hog, medievalstyle, and has an entire room to house the behind-the-scenes machinery that keeps the spits turning. “It’s a slow smoker,” he explains. “I put wood in the back and leave for the day — you can put something in there for 15 hours if you need to — and when I come back it’ll still be cooking.” Otherwise he uses his DCS grill almost every day. Steaks are in heavy rotation, but Louisiana is also justifiably famous for its seafood, and dishes like a rich, thick, shrimp-laden gumbo and crawfish are also staples. Another of Steve’s favorites is char-grilled oysters, which are cooked on the grill in their shells, finished with a butter sauce made with lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire and garlic, and finally sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and served in a cast-iron oyster pan (pictured), with indentations to catch the juices so they can be mopped with fresh bread. “Stephanie is out there in a heartbeat to cook. She’d rather cook outside than inside,” he laughs. “So it’s very user-friendly for both of us. Since we built the kitchen, my friends are always coming over for when we have functions or watch football games. It’s the kind of place that everyone can enjoy together — Daniel in particular, he’s always coming over to cook on the grill while his kids swim in the pool!”

Steve at work on a true southern feast; a pot of gumbo and platters of crawfish, shrimp and char-grilled oysters

GET YOUR SPRING GREENS

Bursting with life and flavor, spring produce gains an extra dimension with light charring or quick grilling in dishes that celebrate the return of the warmer months.

ourkitchen.fisherpaykel.com

PICKLED CUCUMBER AND SHRIMP SALAD

INGREDIENTS 2 english cucumbers

serves 6 as a starter

Olive oil, for brushing, plus 2 tbsp extra 3 tbsp unsweetened Greek yogurt

TWEAK THESE DELICATE FLAVORS

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

WITH A DASH OF VINEGAR AND A

Juice and finely grated rind of 1 lemon

FEW SECONDS ON THE GRILL

1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 long red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped 24 medium uncooked shrimp, cleaned and peeled. ½ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley ¼ cup coarsely chopped dill 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint 3 cups of baby salad leaves (arugula, mizuna, beet etc)

1 Peel the cucumbers, then halve them lengthwise and remove the seeds by scraping out with a spoon. 2 Combine vinegar and sugar in a bowl to make pickling liquid. 2 Slice 2 cucumber halves and add to the pickling liquid. 3 Cover and set aside for 20 min, then drain (reserve liquid) and transfer to a bowl. 4 Preheat the grill to sear. Brush the remaining 2 cucumber halves lightly with olive oil and grill until lightly charred. 5 Set aside to cool, then slice and transfer to the bowl with the pickled cucumber. 6 Turn grill down to medium high heat. 7 Combine half the chilli, garlic, lemon juice and zest. 8 Add shrimp and allow to marinate for 5 minutes. 9 Make dressing by whisking yogurt, olive oil and 2 tbsp of reserved pickling liquid together. !0 Cook shrimp on the grill until they are golden and no longer transparent. !1 Remove from grill and set aside. !2 Add herbs, baby leaves and remaining chilli to the cucumber salad then divide onto 4 plates. !3 Top the cucumber salad with shrimp and finish with a drizzle of the dressing.

CUMIN AND ALMOND CRUSTED LAMB WITH FIDDLEHEADS, RADISHES AND SMOKY NEW POTATOES serves 6

COMBINE THESE THREE SIMPLE COMPONENTS FOR A DINNER BURSTING WITH COLOR AND FLAVOR.

CHARRED FIDDLEHEAD FERNS FERNS

A N D R A D I S H E S W I T H G O AT

3/4 cup fresh goat cheese, softened

YO G U R T C R E M A

1/2 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

1 Pre-heat grill to med-high setting. 2 Com-

Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon

bine the goat cheese, yogurt, lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

and zest, mustard, mint, a pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper in a medium

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

bowl, mix until smooth. 3 Bring a medium

1 pound radishes, trimmed

sized saucepan of water to a simmer, add the

1 pound fiddlehead ferns

ferns and cook for a few minutes until they

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil;

just start to become tender (time will depend

more for drizzling

on the size and maturity of your ferns). Drain and rinse under cold water. 4 In a large bowl,

P O TAT O E S

toss the radishes and ferns with oil. 5 Grill

2-3 lbs new potatoes, cleaned

radishes and ferns, turning occasionally until

2–3 tbsp olive oil

lightly charred. 6 Serve with the crema and

1 tsp smoked paprika

a drizzle of olive oil.

1 tsp crushed garlic

S M O K Y N E W P O TAT O E S

1 Par-cook potatoes in a large saucepan

1 tsp kosher salt

of salted water until just tender, then drain.

LAMB

2 Combine other ingredients in a large bowl.

6 lamb fillets

3 Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and toss in

1 tbsp olive oil

paprika mixture. 4 Preheat grill to a high heat

1 tsp kosher salt

and sear potatoes on both sides till slightly charred and crispy.

½ cup flaked almonds

LAMB WITH TOASTED ALMONDS

1 tbsp cumin seeds

AND CUMIN

1 In a pan lightly toast the almonds and cumin seeds. 2 Coat the lamb fillets with olive oil and season with salt. 3 Preheat the grill to a high heat and cook lamb till medium rare. 4 Remove lamb from grill and allow to rest, covered for 5 minutes. 5 Roll fillets in the almonds and cumin seeds. 6 Slice fillets and arrange on a plate to serve.

vbb

CURED AND CHARRED SALMON AND SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD serves 8

MICROGREENS AND DELICATELY CHARRED NEW VEGES ARE THE PERFECT COMPLEMENT FOR RARE SALMON

CURED SALMON

1 Mix the sugar and salt together. 2 Place the salmon on a plate and rub all the sugar and salt mixture over it, coating both sides. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight). 3 After two hours, rinse the salmon and pat dry with a paper towel. DRESSING

1 Preheat grill to high heat. 2 Place garlic in its skin on the grill and turn regularly until slightly charred and tender (8-10 minutes). 3 Remove from the grill and set aside to cool. Squeeze cloves from skin (discard skin), finely chop and set aside. 4 Char-grill the green chillies, turning occasionally until tender (4-5 minutes), then, place hot chillies in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. The chillies will sweat while they cool, making peeling them easy. 5 Peel and remove seeds from the chillies then finely chop. 6 Whisk together the olive oil, chillies INGREDIENTS

and lemon juice, season to taste, then set aside.

2 lb piece wild salmon, skinned

SEARED SALMON

and deboned

1 Brush the dry surface of the salmon lightly

½ cup sugar

with oil. 2 Heat the grill to a very high heat and sear the salmon on both sides for about

4 tbsp kosher salt

45 seconds or just long enough to achieve nice

Rice bran oil for brushing

charred grill marks (you do not want to cook

CHARRED CHILLI DRESSING

the salmon or it will be too delicate to slice

5 green chillies

thinly). 3 Wrap the salmon tightly in plastic

4 oz extra-virgin olive oil

wrap and place on a plate in the fridge to chill. 4 Once the salmon is well chilled use a

2 tbsp lemon juice

very sharp knife to slice very thin slices across

C H A R R E D G A R L I C M AY O N N A I S E

the grain.

4 cloves garlic in skin

C H A R R E D G A R L I C M AY O N N A I S E

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Squeeze garlic from the skins and finely

½ cup store bought mayonnaise

chop. 2 In a small bowl combine the garlic,

¼ tsp very finely grated lemon zest

mustard, mayonnaise and lemon zest and water. 3 Season to taste.

TO COMPLETE THE SALAD

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD

32 spears baby asparagus, ends trimmed

1 Chargrill the asparagus spears and scallions

16 baby scallions, trimmed

over a high heat. 2 Spread a little of the mayon-

3 cups microgreens (basil,

naise on each plate (or on 1 large serving plat-

watercress, etc)

ter) and layer the charred vegetables, salmon

8 lemon wedges

and microgreens on top. 3 Drizzle over the dressing and garnish with a wedge of lemon.

vbb

CHERRY AND CHOCOLATE CIGARS serves 12

NO BAKING REQUIRED FOR THIS SIMPLE AND DELICIOUS PASTRY DESSERT

1 Combine cherries, chocolate, vanilla, sugar and corn starch in a bowl. 2 Lay the pile of filo on the bench and use a clean and very lightly dampened tea towel to cover it in order to prevent the dough from drying out. 3 Lift the tea towel and place a single sheet of filo on a work bench. Brush melted butter over the sheet and place another sheet on top. 4 Working with the pastry in a portrait orientation, place 2 heaped tablespoons of the cherry mixture onto the pastry. 5 Place the mixture about ¼ of the way up the pastry and centred in a line allowing the edges to be folded in to the centre. 6 Once the edges are folded in, brush over the pastry again with melted butter and roll up from the base to form the cigar. 7 Keep cigars under a very lightly dampened tea town until ready to grill. 8 Preheat the grill to a lowmedium heat. 9 Brush cigars with a little butter and grill on both sides for a few minutes until browned and crispy. !0 Serve while warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

INGREDIENTS 2 cups fresh cherries, pitted and halved ¾ cup dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks 2 tbsp sugar 1 tsp corn starch ¼ tsp vanilla extract 24 sheets filo pastry 1 ½ sticks melted butter

JIM LAYFIELD IS DCS PRODUCT SPECIALIST FOR NORTH AMERICA, WORKING ACROSS THE COMPANY TO TROUBLESHOOT AND ASSIST IN DEVELOPING NEW PRODUCTS.

Jim Layfield DCS Product Specialist

GIVEN THE DCS PEDIGREE, WHAT HAS STAYED THE S A M E ? I T ’ S A LWAYS B E E N V E RY H I G H P E R F O R MANCE, AND SEEMS TO HAVE STAYED THAT WAY.

DCS INDOOR

Yes, we listened to the customer to hear what they want in terms of burner sizes, and I think

AND OUTDOOR

we did a great job in terms of the aesthetic

DESIGN INSIGHTS

design, but in terms of the performance it’s stayed the same. The biggest change is going to be with the EVO 2 we’re launching next year—there’s been a

WHAT DOES YOUR DAY-TO-DAY WORK INVOLVE?

substantial improvement in burner performance.

I’m a technical liaison between the marketplace,

We’re integrating electronics into the product

and the factory, and the product development

so we have much better control of the oven’s

sites. I field questions from sales, service per-

cooking performance. Those are two areas in

sonnel, or the spare parts group, and investi-

which I feel the next-generation product is go-

gate and feed that info back to the relevant

ing to really stand out.

parties. I deal a lot with product-quality issues that come up, taking not only the information

DO THESE CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY AND

that comes to me but also conducting research,

B U R N E R P E R F O R M A N C E R E F L E C T B R OA D E R

in terms of what the problem might look like

CHANGES IN THE WAY PEOPLE ARE COOKING AND

from a business perspective.

EATING TODAY?

Our products have always been designed WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHANGES YOU’VE SEEN

around performance, so key things like the

OVER THE DECADE AND A HALF YOU’VE BEEN WITH

higher BTU rates and the control we offer with

THE COMPANY?

the surface burners—in other words, a profes-

The biggest change I’ve seen has been on the

sional perspective tailored to a residential

manufacturing side. Manufacturing was a key

application—is one of the things that has always

one, because when Fisher & Paykel acquired

drawn people to our products.

DCS they were able to come in and make some substantial improvements to the Huntington

THERE IS A GROUNDSWELL OF ENTHUSIASM

Beach factory. So there was that, and there

FOR PROFESSIONAL-QUALITY GEAR FOR COOKING

were the systems that F&P brought along with

AT H O M E T H E S E D AY S . D O YO U S E E T H AT I N

them at the time of the acquisition — things

YOUR CUSTOMERS?

like quality control, and procedures and policies

Yes, definitely. A lot of our customers defi-

for developing new product.

nitely aspire to being chefs! Chefs use professional-grade equipment in their kitchens, so

H OW H AV E T H E P R O D U C T S E VO LV E D, B OT H I N

people aspire to that and want similar products

TERMS OF PERFORMANCE AND DESIGN-WISE?

in their homes. The reason people enjoy our

The products have, obviously, become more

products so much is because we originally

refined over time, so we’ve seen a big jump in

started out as a commercial products manu-

terms of detail—the fit and finish, and the re-

facturer, so the DCS heritage has developed

duction of gaps. But it’s funny—the products

out of that commercial sphere and it continues

themselves haven’t really changed substan-

to set the performance benchmark for the

tially over time. If you look at our indoor prod-

contemporary products we make today.

uct line, it’s pretty much the same quality with some aesthetic enhancements, as it was back in the day when I started. 51

DCS: Putting Performance First For 30 Years Precision Heat and Control: A DCS Grill

Full Surface Searing: DCS lets you sear

Rotisserie Made Easy: Inspired by our

puts you in control of up to a massive 121,500

where you want to sear, putting you in control

commercial heritage, DCS Rotisserie Grills are

BTU per hour total power. That power lets you

of the entire grilling surface. Using a DCS Grill

the perfect package of robust construction,

choose the precise heat you need from a low

means full surface searing and no uneven hot

powerful motor, consistent temperatures and

and slow 300° up to an intense 1100°. DCS Grills

spots: grill what you want, where you want.

strong forks. DCS Rotisserie Grill models feature

do more than help you grill an incredible steak,

Precision ported stainless steel burners, ceramic

a dedicated infrared rotisserie burner, providing

you can infuse smoke into your favorite meal

radiant rods and heavy gauge 304 stainless

controlled searing up to 18,000 BTU per hour.

using the built in smoker*, or close the specially

steel burner box construction ensure precise,

The heavy-duty motor allows you to load your

designed hood and use the power of

even searing across the entire grilling surface.

Thanksgiving turkey (and more!), while the

convection to cook the perfect pizza. DCS Grills

Don’t just settle for a sear zone, choose DCS

Smart Beam™ Grill Light illuminates the entire

put you in control, giving you the versatility to

Grills for full surface searing.

cooking surface for perfect night grilling. Load

cook what you want. *Excludes 30” models

up your new DCS Grill’s rotisserie then sit back and let the grill do the work.

Temperature Gauge — Zero to Sear:

Real Steel — Inside and Out: Assembled by

Lifetime Warranty: Built to last a lifetime,

Go from zero to sear with DCS Grills’ new

hand from heavy duty 304 stainless steel, inside

DCS grills are robust and durable. They come

built-in temperature gauge. It lets you know

and out, DCS Grills are built to handle most

with a Lifetime Warranty (parts only) on

exactly how hot the grill is, even when the hood

everything Mother Nature can throw at them.

stainless steel Grill Burners and Grill Covers,

is down. This means you can monitor

Many grill manufacturers use high grade steel

Burner Box, Grilling Grates, Radiant Trays and

temperatures without raising the specially

only on visible components, not on the parts

Grill Racks*. Choose DCS, the grill you can trust.

designed hood to maximize the natural

you can’t see. All DCS grills are assembled by

* Lifetime warranty excludes discoloration or

convection. DCS Grills let you cook what you

hand to ensure a premium finish.

surface corrosion. For complete DCS Grill

want, how you want.

Warranty refer to Use & Care Guide.

The DCS Outdoor Grill 30" Professional Grill and 30" Professional Grill with Rotisserie The 30" DCS Grill provides exceptional

heat rather than direct fire. All this provides

performance with two U-shaped Stainless

remarkable consistency across the total grilling

Steel Burners rated at 25,000 BTU per burner.

surface giving controlled, even heat for both

Combined with Ceramic Radiant Technology

high and low temperature cooking.

that means you are cooking with controlled

36" Professional Grill with Rotisserie DCS allows you to control the power of your

ceramic rods spread across the entire cooking

grill as precisely as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always dreamed.

surface, and the Grease Management SystemÂŽ

No matter where you place your food or at

that reduces flare-ups, this grill produces

what temperature, the combination of the

constant and controlled heat, giving you true

powerful U-shaped burners, the heat radiating

professional quality performance.

36" Professional Grill with Rotisserie, Hybrid, Griddle & Grease Management System Designed with flexibility in mind, the new 36"

professional chef. DCS Grills are hand-finished

Hybrid/Griddle Grill allow you to cook a wide

to perfection to complement the quality of

variety of meals on three uniquely designed

the DCS premium outdoor kitchen and built to

cooking surfaces and are engineered to deliver

withstand the demands of the serious cook and

the functionality and power demanded by a

the extremes of mother nature.

48" Professional Grill with Integrated Sealed Side Burners Every chef wants the option of preparing

features precision ported, U-shaped Stainless

delicious side dishes to accompany a culinary

Steel Burners rated at 25,000 BTU, this gives

masterpiece. The 48" grill includes two

you the ability to prepare an entire meal on one

integrated sideburners rated at 17,000 BTU.

grill. Also includes a rotisserie unit and a smoker

Combined with the main grill area, which

with its own dedicated burner.

48" Professional Grill with Rotisserie The ultimate in outdoor cooking: the 48" Grill is fully featured and truly allows the chef room to perform at a professional level. The combination of performance and space delivers professional results for any occasion.

48" Professional Grill with Rotisserie, Hybrid, Griddle & Grease Management System Designed with flexibility in mind, the new 48"

professional chef. DCS Grills are hand-finished

Hybrid/Griddle Grill allow you to cook a wide

to perfection to complement the quality of

variety of meals on three uniquely designed

the DCS premium outdoor kitchen and built to

cooking surfaces and are engineered to deliver

withstand the demands of the serious cook and

the functionality and power demanded by a

the extremes of mother nature.

DCS Grill Accessories

DCS Grill Tools DCS Grill tools and accessories are crafted from high grade stainless steel with walnut handles and brass rivet detailing. Generously sized and perfectly weighted, DCS grill tools feel as good in your hand as they look. View the full range and purchase at dcsappliances.com.

DCS Grill Tongs

DCS Grill Spatula

DCS Grill Fork

DCS Grill Tongs are crafted from high grade

The DCS Grill Spatula is crafted from high grade

stainless steel with a walnut handle and brass

rivet detailing.

DCS Skewers

DCS Grill Cleaning Brush

DCS Grease Management System

DCS Skewers are an essential for the Grill Chef.

The DCS Grill Cleaning Brush features robust

Available in packs of six, these solid stainless

bristles designed to clean your Grill effortlessly.

Trough Scraper

steel skewers are robust and easy to clean.

The DCS Grease Management System Trough Scraper has been created for the easy cleaning and maintainance of your DCS Grill. Designed for efficiency and built to last, this solid stainless steel scraper is an essential for the serious griller.

DCS Grill Gloves

DCS Apron – Duck Brown

DCS Apron – Hickory Stripe

These DCS leather grill gloves are a necessity

A necessity for any serious griller, this DCS

for the serious griller. Designed to perform and

apron is generously sized and features a front

built to last – just like the DCS Grill itself.

storage pocket and adjustable neck band.

Made from 100% Vintage Cotton Duck Brown

Made in America from 100% Vintage Cotton

and hand-finished with brass findings.

Hickory Stripe and hand-finished with brass findings.

Bamboo Cutting Board

Brazilian Cherry Cutting Board

Maple Cutting Board

A sturdy cutting board is an essential in the

kitchen. DCS cutting boards are crafted from

solid Bamboo, chosen for its quality, beauty

solid Brazilian Cherry, chosen for its quality,

solid Maple, chosen for its quality, beauty and

and suitability for food preparation. This cutting

beauty and suitability for food preparation.

suitability for food preparation. This cutting

board also fits the DCS Outdoor Grill CAD Cart

This cutting board also fits the DCS Outdoor

board also fits the DCS Outdoor Grill CAD Cart

Side Shelves.

Grill CAD Cart Side Shelves.

Side Shelves.

For an Outdoor Dealer near you or for more information, please visit dcsappliances.com dcsappliances.ca Look online also for the complete DCS Outdoor product line

Customer Care 24 hours a day 7 days a week Call 888-936-7872