Citrus

Mojo is a name that originally branded several varieties of hot sauce from the Canary Islands. Now recipes and uses of mojo are spread throughout the tropical regions of northern South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The place of origin of a particular mojo recipe defines both its ingredients and its uses. Ingredients in mojo sauce can include olive oil, garlic, citrus juice (sour orange, lemon, lime), paprika, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. This flavorful sauce can be used on breads, potatoes, salads, and as a seasoning for meats and vegetables. This recipe was made as a condiment for whole roasted pig. The flavors are a complement to the sour-orange marinade used in Cuban Pig (page 163). The flavor emphasis in this recipe is placed on the acidity of the lime juice, the garlic, and oregano. Mixed with butter, this sauce can be turned into a great topper for sweet potatoes and bread.

One of the highlights in my culinary career was cooking for a Caribbean and Low-Country Food Festival I catered for Johnson & Wales University at the Middleton Place plantation outside of Charleston, South Carolina. We had just won the International Jamaican Jerk Style/Southern Barbecue Cook-Off, and we were invited to cook the Caribbean portion of the menu. Two 120-pound whole pigs were prepared for the event; one was cooked in the Jamaican jerk style, and the other was prepared Cuban-style with a sour-orange marinade. Once the guests were seated, the pigs were carried from the cooker like ancient royalty in a sedan-chair procession and presented at the head of the buffet. This was the only dinner I have ever attended where the main course, not the chef, got the standing ovation. I love the intensity and acidity of a sour-orange marinade, and over the years I have tried many ways to get these wonderful flavors dispersed throughout very thick cuts of meat. After much experimentation I’ve found that two solutions work best: a generous soaking with sour-orange flavors throughout the cooking process or a simple sour-orange injection. With apologies to traditionalists, I chose the latter.

Lemons have a broad appeal for those who barbecue because of the variety of ways in which they can be used. Lemon slices heighten both the color and flavor of sop mops or bastes and sauces, and a sprinkling of lemon on fresh-cut fruits will prevent oxidation, which causes fruits to turn brown before they can hit the grill. A twist of lemon will neutralize the odor of fish, a must for cedar plank–smoked salmon. Perhaps most important, in a marinade the acid in lemon juice will help break down the meat’s collagen fibers, thus helping to tenderize tougher cuts. This recipe, cooked using the indirect heat method at high temperature, is easily one of the quickest and most flavorful recipes I know. Cooking with indirect heat at a high temperature on a closed grill will simulate an indoor oven without sacrificing smoke flavor and will prevent premature caramelization of the soy sauce.

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.

These two sauces are useful whenever you need to make a dessert in a hurry. Made in minutes, they can turn plain ice cream or store-bought poundcake into something special.

An Italian classic, fragrant with lemon.

This twilight-blue sweet-tart sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Made in a food processor, it’s thicker than when made in the blender.

This creamy (yet vegan) dessert can follow a meal from just about any cuisine: Caribbean, Indian, Mediterranean, West African, Asian, North American.…

Making cake batter in the blender? What could be easier? This cake is elegant enough for a dinner party and easy enough for a weekday.

We hope you have a microplane grater (see page 290), because the quality of the lemon zest makes a big difference.

A basic vinaigrette can be quickly made with only a few key ingredients found in the pantry.

The clean, fresh flavors of cilantro and lime make this one of our all-time favorite dressings. If you like a smooth, emulsified dressing, make it in a blender.

Sour citrus and spicy peppercorns are perfect foils for salty feta. (See photo)

After you taste these perfectly seasoned potatoes, you’ll never go back to butter-drenched ones.

A side dish so good you’ll make it again and again. When the main dish is creamy and rich, these beans provide lightness and balance.

Warm and aromatic—like bouillabaisse without all the fuss. Mussels are best eaten right away, so call everyone to the table when you put the mussels into the pot.

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.

For a richer dressing, add half a cup of coconut milk and a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter to the dressing.

This elegant herbed couscous is a lemon lover’s delight. We like it best made with all of the herbs. The flavor develops beautifully overnight in the refrigerator.