Crispy Oysters with Mango Sauce and Red Horseradish

• 1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped red onion
• 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup freshly grated horseradish
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 20 small (3 to 4 inches) Pacific oysters, shucked and drained, cupped bottom shells reserved
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

For The Horseradish: In a small bowl, combine the horseradish and chili powder; stir to blend.

Preheat the oven to 250°F. Scrub the oyster shells, dry, and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes to preheat the shells, which will be used to serve the oysters.

In a medium bowl, combine the cornmeal, cayenne, salt, and pepper and blend well. Drop 10 oysters at a time into the cornmeal and, using your hands, toss gently to coat. Shake off the excess coating and put the oysters on a plate.

In a medium sauté pan or skillet, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Fry 10 oysters at a time for 30 seconds on each side or until slightly browned, being careful not to overcook. Repeat with the remaining oysters. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Put 1 teaspoon mango sauce into each warmed shell. Place a cooked oyster on top of the sauce. Top with 1/4 teaspoon of the red horseradish and sprinkle with the minced cilantro. Serve immediately.

Makes 20; serves 4 as a hearty appetizer    

About Hog Island Oyster Lover's Cookbook

Seductive but standoffish, oysters ask that you get to know them a little before you can really enjoy them. How do you choose from among the dozens of varieties? How do you handle, shuck, and store them? Are they better cooked or raw? And are they really an aphrodisiac? Full of alluring recipes from topflight chefs, plus tasting notes and wine and beer pairing tips, the authoritative and accessible Hog Island Oyster Lover's Cookbook demystifies these enigmatic bivalves and provides the insider's scoop on serving them at home as well as ordering them in an oyster bar.

Get The Hog Island Oyster Lover's Cookbook: A Guide to Choosing and Savoring Oysters, with 40 Recipes at:

• Amazon.com

Photography by Jennifer Levy

Cheesy Meatloaf  

From "Meatloaf - Recipes for Everyone's Favorite" by Maryana Vollstedt, Chronicle Books.     

This meatloaf is made in a square dish instead of a loaf pan and cut into squares to serve, surprising diners with a rich filling of three kinds of cheese. A layer of tomato slices on top gives it a rustic visual appeal. Serve with Smashed New Potatoes and Cilantro for a company dinner.
 

• 1 pound ground beef
• 3/4 pound ground pork sausage
• 3/4 cup fine dried bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup packed shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese or Gorgonzola
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions, including some tender green tops
• 1 medium tomato, sliced and drained for topping
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the cheeses, green onions, tomato slices, and parsley and mix well. Spread half of the meat mixture in a lightly sprayed or oiled 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish. Layer on the Cheddar cheese, leaving a 1-inch border to help prevent the filling from oozing out. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the Parmesan, all of the blue cheese, and the green onions. Add the remaining meat mixture on top and press firmly around the sides to enclose the cheese and onions.

Bake for 50 minutes. Arrange the tomato slices attractively on top, overlapping slightly, if necessary. Sprinkle generously with the pepper, the remaining Parmesan cheese, and the parsley. Bake until the tomatoes are lightly browned and the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes longer. Let stand in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Cut into squares to serve.
 
Serves 6 to 8

About Meatloaf

Everyone loves meatloaf. It's the ultimate in homey comfort food, easy to make and, with a fluffy mound of mashed potatoes and some gravy, about as close to heaven as a meal can get. Maryana Vollstedt, author of such comforting favorites as Big Book of Casseroles and Big Book of Easy Suppers, presents her favorite recipes, including a classic loaf using a mixture of ground beef and sausage; a lively version with a horseradish-crumb topping; and an Asian-style meatloaf with a hoisin-soy sauce (and a spicy touch of wasabi for more adventurous folks). Others showcase poultry, lamb, or fish and there are also vegetarian selections. Recipes for the perfect side dish accompaniment round out this satisfying book.

Get Meatloaf: Recipes for Everyone's Favorite at:

• Amazon.com

Roasted Chicken Grilled with Hot Pepper Pears and Honey

From "Mastering the Grill" by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim, Chronicle Books 

The Grill

Gas

• Indirect heat--medium (325º to 350ºF)
• 3-burner grill--middle burner off
• 2-burner grill--1 side off
• Clean, oiled grate
  

Charcoal

• Indirect heat--medium ash
• Split charcoal bed (about 2 dozen coals per side)
• 20 replacement coals
• Heavy-duty drip pan set between banks of charcoal
• Clean, oiled grate on medium setting
  

Grill Tools and Equipment

• Kitchen twine
• Long-handled spatula
• Long-handled tongs
• Long-handled basting brush
  

Timing

• Prep: 15 minutes
• Grill: About 1 1/2 hours
  

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Tuscan Rosemary Rub, see recipe below
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 1 chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds, washed and dried
• Oil for coating grill grate
• 1/2 cup Peking Crackle, see recipe below
• 3 large Bartlett pears, firm but not hard
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  

Directions

1. Heat the grill as directed above.

2. Mix 1 tablespoon of the rub with the butter by mashing them with a fork on a clean work surface until well blended.

3. Separate the skin from the breast and legs of the chicken, and gently but firmly insert your index finger under the skin at the neck end of the chicken. Move it around, separating the skin from the meat underneath. Gradually ease your whole hand under the skin, loosening the skin from the breast, legs, and drumsticks.

4. Spoon the herb butter under the skin and push it evenly over the breast and legs of the chicken by rubbing the skin to spread the butter.

5. Spoon the remaining 1 tablespoon rub into the interior of the chicken and rub it over the walls of the internal cavity. Tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen twine.

6. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the chicken on the grill away from the heat, cover the grill, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers about 170°F, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Baste with half the glaze during the last 20 minutes of cooking. If your grill has a temperature gauge, it should stay at around 350°F. If you are using charcoal, you will probably have to replenish the coals after the first hour.

7. Meanwhile, cut the pears in half lengthwise, remove the core with a melon baller, and coat the pear halves with the oil.

8. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, put the pears directly over the heat, and cook until browned and tender, brushing with the remaining glaze and turning once.

9. Remove the chicken and pears to a large serving platter, lifting the chicken with tongs and using a spatula for support. Let rest for 8 to 10 minutes; carve and serve.

Tuscan Rosemary Rub

From "Mastering the Grill" by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim, Chronicle Books 

Simple and straightforward, this all-purpose herb rub is perfect for anything from artichokes to potatoes to steak (hmm, not a bad menu!).

Good with

• Seafood: shrimp, scallops, salmon, any white-fleshed fish
• Poultry: chicken, turkey, game hen
• Meat: lamb, pork, veal, beef

Timing

• Prep: 5 minutes

Makes about 1/4 cup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons dried rosemary, crushed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients.

Use as directed in a recipe; can be stored in a tightly closed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Peking Crackle

From "Mastering the Grill" by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim, Chronicle Books

Based on the glaze that gives Peking duck its crackling skin, this salty, sweet, and savory glaze is delicious on any poultry. It is best used with indirect grilling. If used directly over a flame, watch its progress very carefully. It can reduce to a blackened sheen in a few untended seconds.

Good with

• Seafood: salmon
• Poultry: chicken, duck, turkey, game hen
• Meat: lamb, pork
  

Timing

• Prep: 5 minutes
  

Makes about 1/2 cup

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon Chinese chili paste with garlic
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients.

2. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate in a tightly closed container for up to 1 month. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

About Mastering the Grill

Grilling is a science, and it's only when you understand the science of grilling that you can transform it into an art. That's what makes Mastering the Grill a standout on the cookbook shelf. From equipment (grill types and tools) to fire (wood, charcoal, or gas) to ingredients (meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables), the authors have shared their impressive grilling know-how to explain the whys and the hows and guarantee the wows clearly and comprehensively. In addition to hundreds of tips and techniques, this ultimate guide is packed with how-to illustrations and mouthwatering photographs plus 350 surefire recipes for everything from rubs and marinades to appetizers, entrees, side dishes, and desserts. Mastering the Grill is a master class in cooking, destined to become a sauce-stained, well-thumbed classic.

Get Mastering the Grill: The Owner's Manual for Outdoor Cooking at:

• Amazon.com

Photo by Lara Hata

Tin Roof Ice Cream

Reprinted with permission from The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments by David Lebovitz. Photography by Lara Hata. Copyright 2007. Published by Ten Speed Press.

Makes about 1 1/4 Quarts

Do you know how tin roof ice cream got its name? Neither do I. Nor does anyone, it seems. I've tried to find out but have always come up empty-handed. I do know that it's one of my favorite ice cream combinations, and I guess I need to be content with that. Tin roof sundaes are traditionally made of vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate sauce and a scattering of red-skinned Spanish peanuts. I couldn't resist using chocolate-covered peanuts instead and folding them into the ice cream, where they become embedded between layers of fudge ripple.

• 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk
• 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Chocolate-Covered Peanuts (page 199)
• Fudge Ripple (page 210)

Warm the milk, sugar, salt and 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the cream in a medium saucepan. With a sharp paring knife, scrape the flavorful seeds from the vanilla bean and add them, along with the pod, to the hot milk mixture. Cover, remove from the heat, and let steep at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Rewarm the vanilla-infused mixture. Pour the remaining 1 cup (250 ml) cream into a large bowl and set a mesh strainer on top. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream to cool. Remove the vanilla bean, wipe it clean of any egg bits, and add it back to the custard. Stir in the vanilla and stir until cool over an ice bath. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.

Then ready to churn the ice cream, remove the vanilla bean (it can be rinsed and reused). Freeze the ice cream in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. While the ice cream is freezing, chop the peanuts into bite-sized pieces.

Fold the peanut pieces into the frozen ice cream as you remove it from the machine, and layer it with Fudge Ripple.

Perfect Pairing: To make Tin Roof Sundaes, serve this ice cream with plenty of Marshmallow-Hot Fudge Sauce (page 166) and Salt-Roasted Peanuts (page 188), topped off with a Candied Cherry (page 215).

About Perfect Scoop

Ripe seasonal fruits. Fragrant vanilla, toasted nuts, and spices. Heavy cream and bright liqueurs. Chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate. Every luscious flavor is grist for the chill in David Lebovitz's ecstatic guide to the pleasures of homemade ice creams, sorbets, granitas, and more. With an emphasis on intense and sophisticated flavors, an international flair, and a bountiful helping of seasoned technique, this collection of frozen treats ranges from classic and comforting (Chocolate Sorbet) to contemporary and cutting edge (Mojito Granita). Spilling over with scrumptious sauces, crunchy toppings, and surprising mix-ins, THE PERFECT SCOOP transforms simple ice cream into a knockout dessert.

Get Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments at:

• Amazon.com