Rob Rainford - Rob Rainfords Born to Grill: Over 100 Recipes from My Backyard to Yours

COPYRIGHT 2012 Rob Rainford

All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication, reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored in a retrieval system without the prior written consent of the publisheror in the case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, license from the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agencyis an infringement of the copyright law.

Appetite by Random House and colophon are trademarks

Library and Archives of Canada Cataloguing in Publication is available upon request

eISBN: 978-0-449-01564-3

Cover and interior photos: Photos with Sauce by Mike McColl www.photoswithsauce.ca

The recipe for Jack-a-Rita on courtesy of Greg Cosway, founder of Torontos Festival of Beer

Published in Canada by Appetite by Random House,
a division of Random House of Canada Limited

www.randomhouse.ca

v3.1

I dedicate this book
to my loving wife, Rose,
and my beautiful daughters
Aiden, Lauren and Alyssa

I FIRST MET ROBERT back in the late 1990s, at a student competition at George Brown culinary college in Toronto. We had both been invited to judge the event and, with hundreds of students and staff milling about and the general frantic pace of the competition, it was a little overwhelming to say the least.

But Robert, a tall and elegant man, was confidence personified, a cool presence tinged with what I perceived was a wicked sense of humor with a side of deadpan thrown in for good measure. He seamlessly moved among the students who were competing, speaking to each of them and minutely examining plate after plate with those big brown eyes of his, digging a spoon here, a fork there, until he was finally satisfied with the end results. We all were.

At that moment it struck me that Robert was a man of principle, a little on the strict side and with an unabashed dedication to his work that was inspiring to perceive.

I liked him right away, especially when he talked about his family, sharing the Italian side of his life, including anecdotes about tomato-preserving with his mother-in-law. I shrieked with laughter, telling him I had failed miserably at this sacred rite of my heritage, and we both giggled at the memories. His face would literally light up with brilliant flashes of warmth and it was obvious how much joy his family life brought him.

Of course, knowing Roberts work through his television career and various Toronto food events only added to the sense of camaraderie I shared with him that day in the kitchens of George Brown College.

Throughout the years our work kept us bumping into each other, either at food shows or industry events. And its like that old saying about good friends: you may not meet up often, but when you do connect, its like you just saw each other the day before.

One day, at yet another food event, I watched Robert up close and personal as he participated in a black box competition surrounded by the tools of his trade, including his beloved grill. It was a cool day so the warmth of the grills kept us close to the action. At the height of the competition, I observed something come over Robert, his eyes darting from food item to food item, obviously formulating a plan of action with the ingredients he had at hand.

It was fascinating to watch how he tuned out the world, his long fingers delicately dancing over the various plates, coaxing layer upon layer of flavors from the items in his black box. It might have been a treasure chest, so intent was he in finding the tasty jewels within.

Nothing fazed himnot the clock, not the crowdsand he completed his task with barely a ripple of tension. Just that smile of satisfaction indicated that his meal was complete. My stars, his finished plate tasted awesome! He won, of course, and a new-found respect for the great grill master was born.

With Robert, its apparent he demands the best not only of those around him, but mostly of himself. It shows in the way he handles food, how he communicates with those around him, and how strong his dedication and love is to what he holds so dear.

Ive watched Robert create some of the grandest dishes to come off a grill, and Ive shared the most humble of meals as well. That he applies the same strict discipline to both is a given and, to me, the sign of a brilliant man.

For Robert, its all in the pleasure his food brings, in his recipes that are detailed yet easy to follow, something Im sure you will find in this book. Hes inviting you to his table with a tome rich in delicious discoveries. It certainly is a feast for all your senses.

Rita DeMontis, National Food Editor, Toronto Sun | SUN Media

IM ROB RAINFORD and I was Born to Grill. Some of you may know me from my work on Food Network Canadas Licence to Grill, others from my previous grilling books. Either way, youre going to love this cookbook.

Born to Grill is the next stop on my grilling odyssey. Ive had the opportunity to travel and cook in some interesting places. Sure, Ive cooked for celebrities, but entertaining my family and friends is what really inspires me. This book contains 20 menu suggestions that will wow your guests. Ive assembled my favorite recipes for this book and I know that if you follow The Rainford Methodmy way of deconstructing a recipe so that anyone can make it successfullyyoull produce some great meals. Ive grilled every recipe in my own backyard, and had an awesome time doing it.

My lifelong love affair with grilling can be traced back to the sights and smells emanating from barbecues my family had when I was a child. Having been born in Jamaica, I come from a culture that uses the grill extensively. Our national dish might be ackee and saltfish but what most ex-pats and tourists remember about Jamaica is the jerk chicken and pork cooking on wide-open charcoal grills. The love of food and cooking runs deep in my family and I was fortunate enough to inherit my grandmothers famous jerk chicken recipe.

I grew up in downtown Toronto in a colorful neighbourhood, surrounded by the aromas of barbecues cooking up native foods from different cultures. When my older brother, Howard, started cooking, he propelled family meals to a new level in our house and he spruced up some favorite dishes that my mom had been making for years. Howard cooked most of our family meals when I was growing up with my brothers Richard and Alvin, and my sister, Marcia. That period in my life really shaped my love for food.

After a lot of soul searching and many talks with my family I decided to learn to cook from the ground up so, in the 1990s when I was already in my mid-20s, I enrolled in George Brown Colleges culinary school. Attending George Brown was the best decision I could have made. The college gave me the skills to cook professionally in a competitive environment. I was taught by some of Canadas best instructors, such as chef Allen Brown who took a special interest in me. He made me feel as if it wasnt too late to learn how to be a chef, and that there were professional chefs in my corner.