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 COOKBOOKS WITH PANACHE
Seven Fires
Grilling the Argentine Way,
by Francis Mallman.
| A trailblazing chef reinvents the art of cooking over fire. Gloriously inspired recipes push the boundaries of live-fired cuisine in this primal yet sophisticated cookbook introducing the incendiary dishes of South America's biggest culinary star.
Chef Francis Mallmann, born in Patagonia and trained in France's top restaurants, abandoned the fussy fine dining scene for the more elemental experience of cooking with fire.
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His fans followed, including the world's top food journalists and celebrities, such as Francis Ford Coppola, Madonna, and Ralph Lauren, traveling to Argentina and Uruguay to experience the dashing chef's astonishing—and delicious—wood-fired feats.
The seven fires of the title refer to a series of grilling techniques that have been singularly adapted for the home cook. So you can cook Signature Mallmann dishes—like Whole Boneless Ribeye with Chimichuri; Salt-Crusted Striped Bass; Whole Roasted Andean Pumpkin with Mint and Goat Cheese Salad; and desserts such as Dulce de Leche Pancakes—indoors or out in any season. Evocative photographs showcase both the recipes and the exquisite beauty of Mallmann's home turf in Patagonia, Buenos Aires, and rural Uruguay. Seven Fires is a must for any griller ready to explore food's next frontier.
Francis Mallmann is the most famous and popular chef in South America. He has three restaurants: one in Mendoza, Argentina's wine country, another in the La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires, and the third in the picturesque village of Garzon, Uruguay. USA Today and The Times of London have named his restaurants among the top ten places to eat in the world. He spends whatever free time he has in a remote cabin retreat in deep Patagonia where he cooks over live fire and writes and reads poetry.
CHIVITO
Serves 4
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According to legend, a great chef in Punta del Este, Uruguay, Antonio Carbonada, had an Argentine lady as a regular customer. One day she asked for her favorite sandwich made with goat (chivito in Spanish). There was no goat to be had, so the chef threw together what was on hand—steak, ham, cheese,
lettuce, and mayonnaise—and the chivito was born.
It is now found everywhere in Uruguay.
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INGREDIENTS
1 boneless rib steak, 1 pound,
sliced horizontally into 4 thin steaks
(you can ask your butcher to do this)
Coarse salt
4 sandwich rolls
1⁄2 cup Aioli
Four 1⁄8-inch-thick slices pancetta
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 large eggs
4 slices boiled ham (about 4 ounces)
4 ounces queso blanco or Monterey Jack,
sliced 1⁄4 inch thick
4 Boston lettuce leaves
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 Roasted Peppers
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PREPARATION
- Pound the steaks lightly with a meat mallet until they are evenly about 1⁄4 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
- Split the rolls and spread aioli on both halves;
set aside.
- Heat a chapa or a two-burner cast-iron griddle over medium-high heat. As it is heating, crisp the pancetta on it, turning once; set aside. When the chapa is hot enough that a drop of water sizzles on the surface, add the steaks and cook, without moving, for 2 minutes. Turn and cook for another minute, or until done to taste.
- Meanwhile heat the olive oil until it shimmers, then fry the eggs until the whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny.
- Place a steak on the bottom half of each of the rolls and top with a slice each of ham, cheese, and crisp pancetta and a fried egg. Cover the other halves with the lettuce, tomatoes, and roasted pepper, and close the sandwiches.
- Slice in half and serve.
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| Excerpted from Seven Fires, by Francis Mallman and Peter Kaminsky (Artisan Books, 2009, $35.00). |
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