Frank Pellegrino - Raos On the Grill: Perfectly Simple Italian Recipes from My Family to Yours

grilling, barbeque, and cooking out

THESE ARE words that conjure up mouthwatering thoughts that enter our minds when we think of relaxing with family and friends.

It may seem strange to think of grilling or cooking out when we think of Raos, a small intimate restaurant in the heart of New York City, without a patio or a terrace, but its not strange or surprising to me.

Vincent Rao, my uncle, was an avid cook who loved to use his homemade grill outside the family restaurant. Vincent taught me how to use a grill to make mouthwatering concoctions we both loved. Always fond of a good steak, Uncle Vincent bought whole sides of beef from the local A&P. He had equipped the Saloon with a band saw to cut steaks to the thickness that was appropriate for the type of grilling he planned to do. The Saloon is what our family called Raos restaurant. Raos, which was started by my grandfather Louis Rao in 1896, is now the oldest restaurant in America that has never moved and has been continuously owned by one family.

Uncle Vincent and his brother, my uncle Louis, were the middle generation of the family that brought the restaurant through the twentieth century.

It was Uncle Vincent who made my taste buds tingle when he taught me his love for all things grilled. A steak sandwich in the wee hours of the morning on the way home from a party was a great way to end an evening. During the holidays or on pleasant summer nights, Uncle Vincent would fire up the grill, standing with his trademark cowboy hat on his head, and deliver delectable delights to all.

In July of each year during the 1940s and 50s, the streets around Raos were closed to traffic for the religious feast of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, lights were strung across the streets, and food and sundry stands were set up to feed and please the thousands of pilgrims who came to honor Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in the church around the corner on 115th Street. To assist the people who opened stands and sold items such as heros, zeppoles, and pizza, my uncles closed the kitchen and just sold liquid refreshments.

Uncle Vincent could not resist joining the outdoor food scene. As a very young boy I helped him conjure up delightful savory foods on his homemade grill. The grill, which was made for him by a local tradesman, was heavy-duty steel, eight-feet wide, three-feet deep, and filled with charcoal. Everything went on that grill during the feaststeaks, chops, chicken, sweetbreads, and even a few secret parts of the cow and pig! On regular grilling days, steaks and chops were the norm, but during the feast everything was fair game for the grill.

There was a small garage between the Saloon and the home my uncles shared with Mama Jake, my grandmother, Francesca Rao. Uncle Vincent always kept his new and ever-present Cadillac there, using it for his daily trips to shop and bank. I once swapped his Cadillac for my Corvette to go on a ski trip. He loved the idea once he remembered how to shift gears on a straight stick car.

With my uncle Vincents lessons firmly planted in my mind, I began my own love affair with outdoor grilling. It has become a family fun fest ever since. I have learned to grill everything from steaks, chops, and fish, to fennel and vegetables. It has been an adventure to experiment, as well as a refreshing and classic way to enjoy family fun. Everything savory is made even more delectable on the grill. As you will see in the following pages, some surprising itemseven dessertscan be cooked on the grill. In this book you will also find some of the legendary recipes that come from the restaurant, grilled!

I think Louis and Vincent are keeping a watchful eye on us from heaven and are amazed, I am sure, at how their little Saloon has grown. It has been fun for me, Frank, Sr., and Frank, Jr. to not only keep their flame alive in the restaurants that bear their names in New York and Las Vegas, but also to keep them in our hearts every time we fire up the Barbie.

I feel like Uncle Vincent is standing next to me and guiding me through each turn on the grill. He must be therehow else does everything turn out just right?

I hope you will find grilling the Raos way as enjoyable as we do.

RON STRACI, CO-OWNER

Happiness is gratitude manifested in the moment.

FRANKIE

my journey to the grill

WELCOME TO Raos On the Grill . The inspiration for this book started for me as a child growing up in a traditional Italian American family whose forefathers emigrated from Southern Italy to East Harlem, New York, then to the south shore of Long Island. I received my invitation to work at Raos Bar & Grill in the summer of 1982 from my father, Grand-aunt Annie, and Uncle Vincent. Little did I know how that summer would define the next thirty years of my life both personally and professionally.

My first major career accomplishment was learning how to sweep the dining-room floor after service to avoid being scolded by Annie McGuire the next day, which happened often. She had a knack for finding some leftover debris I missed in an obscure corner of the room.

In addition to sweeping the floor, I learned how to set a table, polish silverware and glasses, avoid being bit by Rip or stumbling over Jocko, the German shepherd and black Lab that kept watchful eyes over the restaurant during the day. As time progressed and my skills sharpened, I was tasked to fill guests water glasses and remove dishes from their tables when they were through with each course, and crumb the tables meticulously with a folded napkin. (Most of the remnants fell to the floor, hence my daily scolding from McGuire.)

Eventually my experience and the lack of other candidates afforded me a promotion to a waiter, which allowed me to broaden my career even further. My responsibilities included learning about the kitchen and food preparation. I was now responsible for preparing appetizers for the guests! If I only had a dollar for every clam I have opened since then

In time, I became the manager of the East Harlem restaurant. I remained part of Raos even after opening my first restaurant in New York City, Baldoria.

I cherished the late-night family dinners prepared by my aunt Anna and special guest chefs, who were truly a part of our family. Those dinners introduced me to the nuances of our cuisine as well as other regional Italian dishes and cooking techniques. Despite Raos being one of the toughest reservations in town, whoever walked into the restaurant or sat at our bar would be invited to have a dish of whatever was on our table. Breaking bread with others made friendships Ive maintained to this day.

Other fond memories of my childhood take me back to summers with my family, particularly at the home of my grandparents, Frank and Ida Pellegrino. It was forever bustling with family and friends morning, noon, and night, seven days a week. Along with friends and family came a great deal of hospitality and food.

Imagine being a kid surrounded by great food and terrific personalities all the time: The experiences helped shape who I am today, and continue to be incorporated into my life and work as a restaurateur on a daily basis. When I find myself in one of those rare moments when I am alone, I think back to my childhood memories of a home filled with company, conversation, and food. These wonderful memories have fueled my inspiration to share many of our familys and restaurants recipes in a fun and easy way. The goal of this book is to inspire people to get together, prepare great meals, and have fun!