Smokers were made for fall football season. No, I’m not talking about nicotine addicts. I’m talking about patio, deck and parking lot smokers filled with ribs and roasts.
But in our present health-conscious climate, smokers are taking on other foods.
I spoke with a chef months ago who told me he smoked rice, and that doing so gave pleasure to vegetarians who don’t have the opportunity to enjoy smoked foods. I thought that was an interesting perspective, so I set out to find out what other nonmeats are going into smokers. I talked to some creative chefs with clever ideas.
The famed Rick Tramonto is nearly always up to something with his smoker. Since we’re in apple season, he smokes them and makes an apple puree for pork dishes. But he doesn’t just toss apples in there and close the door. He brines them in citrus, salt and sugar. I suspect the citrus is to keep them from browning.
Though you can buy perfectly good smoked almonds, Tramonto likes to smoke his own marcona almonds, puree them and incorporate them into an aioli he serves with a venison carpaccio dish.
Honey is the most interesting smoked ingredient I talked to chefs about. It’s a favorite of Ted Reader’s. He wrote the book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Smoking Foods.” And he’s probably the perfect person to write that book, because he told me at one time he had about 100 smokers in his yard. He likes to smoke the whole honeycomb, which then goes well with brie or havarti cheese and makes a great stuffing for chicken. I can just imagine.
For those who want to smoke fruits or vegetables, Jason Dady, chef/owner of San Antonio’s The Jason Dady Restaurant Group, told me it’s best to smoke them with the skin on to retain the shape. He has tried and succeeded in smoking eggplant, tomatoes, mango, avocados and mushrooms. The only thing with avocados, they will turn black, so just hide them on the bottom of the dish.
There’s no need to obsess about the type of smoker or wood. Any smoker will do, even a Weber kettle grill or a homemade smoker. As for the wood, Dady does something a little unconventional and goes outside and cuts some bark off a tree. It will grow back. Imagine. That’s the ultimate in local, sustainable.
For the full scoop on smoking nonmeats, check out my Oct. 18 article in FSR magazine online at http://bit.ly/Hm1aAb.
Tell me what you think.
Jody
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