The Outdoor Kitchen

Book excerpt: Anyone can learn to cook outside over a fire with this dazzling guide to setting up an outdoor kitchen, featuring practical tips and 80 recipes from the award-winning chef of Hartwood in Tulum, Mexico. Chef Eric Werner cooks nearly every dish served at Hartwood over wood fire, without gas or electricity, and when he's not at the restaurant, he's making delicious meals for his family, grilled in his own backyard outdoor kitchen. In this book, Werner shares the secrets to and recipes for simple, unrestricted, foolproof outdoor cooking in a way that reimagines the way you cook at home. Whether you already have a grill or have never cooked outdoors before, The Outdoor Kitchen provides all the tools and inspiration you need. Featuring step-by-step blueprints for constructing your own outdoor kitchen plus variations and modifications for store-bought grills, this handbook shows you how to build a high heat quickly and achieve a perfect sear. The recipes range from grilled meats, fish, and vegetables to marinades, quick pickles, cocktails, and desserts, including: Grilled Lamb Chops and Burnt Cherries Rib Eye for One with Onion Jam Salmon and Almond-Tarragon Salsa Verde Grilled & Pickled Zucchini Grilled Romaine with Smoked Fish Dressing Burnt Strawberry Ice Cream Whether you're cooking for yourself or your family on a weeknight or entertaining guests on the weekend, all the recipes are straightforward, with just a few ingredients and simple methods, for dishes that emphasize fresh flavor and the magic of wood-fired cooking.