Basil

Nine times out of ten when chicken is ordered in a restaurant, a breast will arrive at the table. Where is the love for dark meat? To my mind there is no comparison between the depth of flavors of dark meat versus white meat. On top of that, chicken legs and thighs stay moister and more tender and have a greater margin of error when cooking. For those reasons most competitive barbecuers prefer to submit dark meat rather than chicken breast to trained judges. For marinating chicken it is hard to beat a traditional Italian dressing. The marinade in this recipe stays close to this philosophy while adding a fresh punch with mixed herbs. Its earthy acidic profile complements the subtle smoke flavor of the chicken; there is nothing out-of-the-bottle about it.

A flourishing garden filled with home-grown vegetables was a source of pride to Big Bob, and his favorite area of the garden was the tomato patch, where he tended a variety of cultivars. By planting different kinds of tomato plants, he was ensured fresh ripe tomatoes all summer long. His favorite summer dish was a tomato salad made with whatever types of tomatoes were in season. This recipe combines two of Big Bob’s Southern favorites: grilled chicken and tomato salad. It is hard to beat the sweet taste of tomatoes in season combined with the charred flavors of chicken cooked outdoors. Each element of this dish can be served on its own, but together they form a signature dish that you’ll return to again and again all summer long.

For years Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q customers have wondered why their chicken breasts were sometimes served without a portion of the wing. Usually it’s because at some point during the process of flipping, basting, and moving the whole chickens around, the wing tips get caught in the cooking grate and break off. That being said, Big Bob loved chicken wings. While a skin-on chicken breast with only the drumette of the wing attached was called a “taster” in the early days of the restaurant, in the 1960s, back when commercial airlines still served real meals, they became known as “airline chicken.” Leaving a portion of the wing attached to a small chicken breast made the serving look larger while still allowing it to fit nicely into an airline food tray. The airline chicken breast is a perfect cut for the outdoor grill if cooked correctly. The best method is a combination of both direct and indirect cooking. With a portion of the wing removed, the skin covering the breast is exposed so it can become thin and crispy while acting as a protective barrier to the lean meat. Finishing the chicken in a pan over indirect heat protects the exposed breast meat.

I was first given the opportunity to cook at the James Beard Foundation in 2003. It was exciting, because it is a huge honor to be invited to cook at the home of James Beard. My wife, Amy, and I, along with her parents, Don and Carolyn McLemore, came up with a simple plan: We would pull our cooker to New York, set up in front of the Foundation, and cook for a party of eighty to a hundred people. Big Bob Gibson’s regularly caters for six thousand to eight thousand people, so this seemed like a slam dunk! In the South it is not uncommon to drive down a city street and see smoke billowing from a portable cooker. Under a pop-up tent with a handwritten sign reading BBQ PLATE $5.00, you can find the most delicious barbecue you have ever tasted. New York City is a different cut of beef. In order to cook on the street you must first make the police department aware of your intentions and obtain a single-day or multiple-day “festival permit,” depending on how long your cooker will stay curbside. This is a tricky process for a bunch of folks from Alabama trying to navigate the system. While waiting for approval we found that the fire department needed to be included in all outdoor cooking discussions. And we couldn’t forget to hire a fire marshal to sit with the cooker overnight: safety first. Although logistics were tedious, the result was flawless. The New York City Police Department met us at the Lincoln Tunnel and gave us an escort to the Foundation. They also blocked off the one-way street in front of the event until we could parallel park at James Beard’s front door. Soon after, we were greeted by the fire department, who were not only concerned with fire safety but also with making our stay in the city pleasant. It was then that we realized we needed to cook more food. For Beard events, it is customary to offer your guests appetizers during the social period prior to dinner service. This is what we served. As always, our logic was, “You can’t mess anything up if you wrap it in bacon.”

Fresh herb flavor any time of year. Delicious with just one herb, or mix and match.

At Moosewood Restaurant, we’re always coming up with new bean spreads. Here’s a multipurpose, hummus-like spread, enhanced with rich creamy pine nuts, roasted red peppers, and fresh basil.

This beautiful sunset-red sauce with flecks of green herbs turns pasta, vegetables, potatoes, or fish into a work of art. Leftover sauce keeps in the refrigerator for a week or two.

Flavored butter can make plain food instantly interesting by enlivening it with the flavors of fresh herbs, ginger, citrus, chiles, or roasted garlic. Keep some in the freezer to use in cooking or at the table. Give an instant flavor boost to plain steamed vegetables, broiled or grilled fish, eggs, grains, pasta, corn on the cob, or mashed potatoes. Slather it on fresh bread, rolls, or biscuits.

We make this summer salad from the beginning to the end of tomato season, and we love it every time. It’s beautiful made with heirloom tomatoes of different colors.

Bright green snow peas and rosy shrimp in a creamy, golden sauce—an elegant dish in only 20 minutes. (See photo)

This is one of the fastest yet most delectable fish preparations. Flounder is a delicate fish, so you need to use care (a wide spatula helps) when turning it to cook on the second side.

Monkfish is perfect for this recipe because it doesn’t fall apart. It has a wonderfully tender and succulent texture similar to lobster, but monkfish is less expensive. This dish is also good with other types of fish and other kinds of seafood, such as scallops, shrimp, or lobster.

Up to a day before baking, Tortilla Melts can be assembled, wrapped in foil, and refrigerated. Bake in the foil for about 15 minutes and then remove the foil and bake for about 5 minutes more for the tortillas to crisp. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to a week and reheat well.

Wish you were in Tuscany? Have this soup for supper as a small consolation.