GRILLING WITH AN ITALIAN TOUCH

MEMORIAL DAY

The first long week-end of the summer. All the Grill Chefs are ready. Latest gadgets purchased and best meats ordered at your local butcher.

Arrosticini (a small cubed fatty lamb) being grilled in the "Campo Imperatore" at the "Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso" One of Abruzzo's gorgeous national parks

Try this:

Marinate you meat 1 day in advance with extra virgin olive oil, whole cloves of garlic, rosemary branches. Place your meat and the marinate in a ziplock bag, remove as much air as possible and refrigerate. Before grilling, pat dry to minimize flames. Grill as usual. The meat will have more flavor and will be tender. Works really well when using grassfed beef as it is leaner and can use a little extra "grease". You can use the marinade to baste your steak.

Make this:

A great sauce to go with grilled steak:

SALSA VERDE PICCANTE

1 clove of garlic

1 bunch parsley

10 leaves of basil

half bunch of tarragon

capers

fresh peperoncino (italian hot red pepper) or crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

red wine vinegar

juice of half a lemon

Chop all herbs together with the capers to a med fine texture.

in a bowl, combine herbs, extra virgin olive oil, 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Add a pinch of salt and peperoncino to taste.

pick up the garlic with your fork smashing slightly and with the garlic still on your fork, mix the sauce well. If you want more garlic taste you can leave the garlic clove in the sauce to add intensity.