Paris in Town bakery in Palm Beach Gardens now offers several Ciao Bella gelato varieties. (Courtesy Paris in Town)

THE SIZZLE

PARIS IN TOWN, the delightful French bakery café that anchors the southeast corner of U.S. 1 and PGA Boulevard, has added a cool, creamy – and Italian – touch to its homey menu of pastry, petit dejéuner and lunch items: Ciao Bella gelato.

"We were attracted to the fact that it has a dense volume of excellent, natural ingredients, making it really rich in flavor – all while using skim milk instead of cream!" says Diane Himmich, who owns the popular café with her husband, Beni.

Her favorite is the hazelnut-flavored gelato. Other flavors include: white pistachio, Tahitian vanilla, Vairhona chocolate, espresso, caramel toffee and peaches and cream. She also serves mango and blood orange sorbets.

The gelatos and sorbets are available for dine-in and to go, at $4.25 for a 4-ounce scoop, $6.25 for two scoops. Also, for $2.65, patrons can add a scoop of vanilla to one of the café’s homemade sweet crepes, tarts or espresso drinks.

Paris in Town, at 11460 U.S. 1 in North Palm Beach, is open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and closes at 4 p.m. on Sundays. For more info, call (561) 626-6017 or visit www.ParisInTownCafe. com.

LIMONCELLO ITALIAN GRILL IN NORTH PALM BEACH is hosting a series of Opera Nights in the festive style made popular at Trattoria Delfino in Jupiter.

The series debuts this Sunday night and continues with evening shows on Aug. 15 and Sept. 12. The Opera Night dinner-and-show package is $69 per person and runs from 6:30 to 10 p.m.

Limoncello’s is open nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. at 11603 U.S. 1 in North Palm Beach. Reservations are accepted at (561) 622-7200. The website is limoncello restaurant.com.

HOP ON OVER TO MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL on July 21 to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. In honor of the occasion, guests will receive a free helping of the casual restaurant’s celebrated queso dip. Devoted fans of Moe’s welcoming atmosphere and quirky menu item names can enjoy a 6-ounce cup all day, no purchase necessary.

This special offer is available at all Moe’s locations including those in Palm Beach Gardens, West Palm Beach and Wellington.

Visit www.moes.com to find the location nearest you.

MORTON’S THE STEAKHOUSE has updated several of its menus with new tempting items, like a Chilean sea bass glazed with pineapple-pepper salsa and, in the restaurant’s private boardrooms, a blue cheese tenderloin crostini. Added to the popular "Power Hour" bar menu: smoked salmon pizza and crab cake BLTs. And there are new steaks: a bone-in filet and a double-cut filet.

The new menu is available at Morton’s two Palm Beach County locations, at 777 S. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach (561-835-9664) and at 5050 Town Center Circle in Boca Raton (561-392-7724). More info at www.mortons.com.

OPENINGS

STEVI B’S PIZZA, 1224 Northlake Blvd., Lake Park, is now open. This is the first of 10 upcoming South Florida locations for Stevi B’s, a national "premium" pizza buffet franchise based in Atlanta.

With an open-kitchen design, granite countertops and decorative stonework throughout its 4,000-square-foot space, the Lake Park restaurant offers a range of specialty pizzas (from Loaded Baked Potato to Chicken Fajita to Mac and Cheese), a salad bar, pasta dishes and dessert items. (There’s also an arcade for the kids.)

The buffet (including drink) is $5.99 for adults and $3.59 for children under 10. Stevi B’s is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Call (561) 845-7997.

Joseph’s Restaurant is at 8418 20th St. in Vero Beach. Photo by Hayley Foote.

VERO BEACH — About a decade ago, we were driving from Rome to Ravello. On the Autostrada, the Italian version of I-95, my husband stopped for gas. I went into the station to get a snack. The aroma of slow-cooked meats and tomato sauce almost knocked me out.

Chefs with white toques in a gas station! We wolfed down “arista al latte” — pork simmered in milk then roasted on a spit and crackling.

Amazing!

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The Fourth of July is the day to declare one’s independence from the kitchen and take in the liberating aromas of outdoor grilling. What to grill, however, is the perennial dilemma. The recipes here detail the vast range of dishes one can create off-range.

BOBBY FLAY’S GRILLING ADVICE MAY BE SURPRISING

It would be unwise for backyard grillers to discount Bobby Flay’s advice.

When it comes to matters of fire and meat, Flay has positioned himself as one of the top experts, courtesy of his Food Network shows and numerous cookbooks on grilling.

But his advice on steak grilling in the June issue of Food Network Magazine will raise a few eyebrows. First, he ixnays the popular bone-in cuts. Secondly, he embraces filet mignon, which for many carnivores is the flavorless baby food of prime meats.

Let’s talk about the bone: "The bone doesn’t impart that much flavor on the grill and it makes steak cook unevenly," he said. "Rib-eye is a good example. It’s always really rare next to the bone. I’d rather eat a rib-eye without a bone that’s cooked evenly on all sides."

Now the filet mignon: "Lots of chefs don’t think it has enough flavor, but I like how tender it is," he said, adding that rubs, sauces and flavored butters can ramp up the cut’s flavor. "A lot of times I’ll use a rub to crust the steak and give it flavor, then add a glaze or butter when it’s coming off the grill."

One more surprising piece of advice when it comes to summer grilling: Flay said he’s not a big proponent of marinades. "They don’t have as much impact," he said. "Rubs, however, get cooked right into the steak."

- Houston Chronicle

Bobby Flay’s Perfectly Grilled Steak

Four 11/4- to 11/2-inch-thick boneless rib-eye or New York strip steaks (about 12 ounces each) or filets mignon (8 to 10 ounces each), trimmed

2 tablespoons canola or extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

About 20 minutes before grilling, remove the steaks from the refrigerator and let sit, covered, at room temperature.

Heat your grill to high. Brush the steaks on both sides with oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.

Place the steaks on the grill and cook until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes.

Turn the steaks over and continue to grill 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare (an internal temperatures of 135°), 5 to 7 minutes for medium (140°) or 8 to 10 minutes for medium-well (150°).

Transfer the steaks to a cutting board or platter, tent loosely with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Recipe from "Food Network" magazine, June 2010.

THE GRATE ALTERNATIVE: FIRE-COOKED FISH

Move over, burgers. Step aside, chicken. If you want to grill something that’s truly fast food, consider the fillet over the filet mignon. Grilling fish produces fillets that are so flaky and flavorful, you won’t think twice about missing the beer batter or the deep frying.

Grilled fish is healthy – virtually fat-free save a small brushing of oil or butter to keep it from sticking – and cooking it on wooden planks can add flavor without increasing the calories.

"I think the easiest way to grill fish is to plank it," said Karen Adler, co-author of Techniques for Grilling Fish and Techniques for Planking ($12.95, Harvard Common Press).

Planking, or cooking on a plank of aromatic wood that has been soaked in water, helps to keep fish moist and eliminates the need to turn the fillet over, so sticking isn’t an issue. Fish on a plank cooks via indirect heat and not direct flames. It’s important to soak the plank in cold water for at least an hour before putting it on the grill so the wood doesn’t burn during grilling.

Planking comes in handy for very thin fillets that fall apart when grilling. When it’s done cooking, the fish can be served directly from the plank too. Planks are fairly inexpensive – at major retailers a two-pack of cedar planks typically sells for $5 to $10 – and can be washed and reused several times until they become too charred.

If you don’t have a plank, aluminum foil also works well for lining the grill grates and creating packets for fish. Inside a packet, even the most delicate fillets hold together on the grill, says Adler’s co-author, Judith Fertig.

When it comes to how long to cook fish on the grill, Adler and Fertig advise a simple "10 minutes per inch of thickness" rule, turning over at the halfway point. A salmon fillet that measures three-quarters of an inch thick will need roughly 7 to 8 minutes, or about 4 minutes on each side, over high, direct heat.

- Lisa Abraham, Akron Beacon Journal

Planked Salmon with Mustard-Mayo-Dill Slather

Serves 6

1 salmon fillet, 3/4-inch thick, skin removed (1 to 2 lbs.)

1 15-by-6-by-1/8-inch cedar or alder grilling plank, soaked in water for at least 1 hour

FOR THE SLATHER:

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

1 clove garlic, minced

Zest and juice of lemon

Prepare an indirect fire in a grill, with a hot fire on one side and no fire on the other. To make the slather, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

Compare the length of the plank with the length of the salmon fillet and trim the salmon to fit the plank, if necessary. Place the salmon on the prepared plank and spread the mustard slather over the top.

Place the plank on the grill grate on the no-heat side. Cover the grill and cook until the fish begins to flake when tested with a fork in the thickest part, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve the salmon hot, right from the plank

Recipe from ‘Techniques for Grilling Fish,’ by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig.

WITH RIBS, LOW AND SLOW IS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO GO

When it comes to ribs, low and slow may be the mantra of the professional pit master, but it’s not the only option when it comes to the backyard grill.

An easy two-step technique will yield tender and flavorful pork ribs in about half the time it takes to cook them using the traditional slow-cook method.

To jump-start the process, simmer the ribs in a seasoned liquid before being grilled over indirect heat until the meat is falling off the bones. Here, baby back ribs are prepared with a chili-ale barbecue sauce, which can be used for basting and served alongside as well.

- The Associated Press

Barbecued Ribs with Chili-Ale Sauce

Serves 4

FOR THE RIBS:

1 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 cups water

2 pounds fresh pork baby back ribs or spareribs

FOR THE SAUCE:

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 cups chopped sweet onions

2 tablespoons minced garlic

12-ounce bottle chili sauce

12-ounce bottle IPA beer or other light ale

2 tablespoons molasses

1/4 cup cider vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste

In a large pot over medium-high, combine the vinegar, molasses, salt, pepper and water. Add the ribs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan and cook, turning occasionally so the ribs cook evenly, until the meat begins to pull away from the bone, 40 to 50 minutes. Drain well.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, in a large saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the onions and saute until softened and lightly colored, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 3 minutes more.

Add the chili sauce, beer, molasses, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the sauce until reduced to about 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the hot sauce. Measure out 3/4 cup of the sauce for basting.

Heat one side of a covered gas grill to high or prepare a fire in half of a covered charcoal grill. Baste both sides of the ribs with sauce and place, meaty-side up, on the unlit side of the grill. Close the grill cover and cook the ribs for 10 minutes.

Turn and baste the ribs periodically until they are well glazed and the meat is beginning to come loose from the bones, about 50 minutes. Cut the ribs into pieces and serve with sauce on the side.

By JIM ROMANOFF

The trouble with lean meats such as boneless, skinless chicken breasts and pork tenderloin is that they lack the flavor of their higher-fat cousins.

But that doesn’t mean flavor can’t be added.

Flavoring pastes are a particularly handy method of doing so because they are easy to apply, stick to the meat well and contain an optimal balance of moisture to produce meat that is neither dry nor mushy.

Pastes can be made by pureeing strongly flavored ingredients, usually along with seasonings and just enough oil or other liquid to achieve a consistency that spreads easily but will stick to the food. Meat that has been coated (pat it dry first) should be covered and refrigerated for at least 1 hour and up to 24.

The soft texture of roasted garlic or caramelized onions makes a great base for a flavoring paste, especially when combined with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil. Consider adding chopped fresh thyme, rosemary or any herb that strikes your fancy.

Miso, a fermented soybean paste with the consistency of peanut butter, also makes an outstanding base for a flavoring paste. Several varieties of miso are available, with the lighter colors having the mildest and sweetest flavor. Note that miso can be quite salty, so a little goes a long way.

Look for miso with other refrigerated soy products at most larger grocers and natural food stores.

Miso will keep, refrigerated in an airtight container, for quite a long time (check the date on the package). Among other things, leftover miso can be used as a base for soups, salad dressings or even served on its own as a condiment.

Orange-miso pork tenderloin is prepared using a paste made with sweet white miso, orange juice, minced garlic and ginger. Serve with steamed snow peas or a cold wild rice and red pepper salad tossed in a rice vinegar and sesame oil dressing.

Grilled Orange-Miso Pork Tenderloin

Time: 30 minutes

(plus 1 to 8 hours marinating)

Servings: 4

1/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons sweet white miso paste

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

11/4 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat (1 large or 2 small tenderloins)

In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, miso, ginger, garlic and oil.

Place the pork tenderloin in a large zip-close plastic bag. Add the marinade, then turn the tenderloin to coat completely. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.

Heat a gas grill to medium-high or light a charcoal fire. Oil the grill grates.

Remove the pork from the bag, letting excess marinade drip off. Grill the tenderloin, turning several times, until just cooked through and an instant thermometer inserted at the center registers 155°, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes. To serve, carve crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Per serving: 179 calories; 46 calories from fat; 5 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 92 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrate; 30 g protein; 0 g fiber; 138 mg sodium

Pearl couscous, which is larger than a sesame seed and smaller than a grain of rice, deserves an outsized role when you’re cooking for two.

This product, also called toasted couscous or Israeli-style couscous, has a very appealing chewy texture and pleasant flavor.

And, although it’s usually served as a starch instead of pasta, you may find pearl couscous especially convenient if you’re cooking for a smaller household.

Unlike pasta that calls for bringing a large pot of water to the boil, pearl couscous can be prepared in a small pot with less water.

Pearl couscous is also versatile. You can use the ingredient in place of rice in a pilaf. You can even try preparing it risotto style.

Until recently, pearl couscous was difficult to find unless you shopped natural food stores.

Now you’ll find packaged pearl couscous in most supermarkets.

New to the shelf is a line of products, including Original Pearl Couscous, Tri-color Pearl Couscous and Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous from RiceSelect (www.riceselect.com).

The following recipe can use any form of pearl couscous, but it looks very attractive with tri-color couscous.

When this dish is just finished, it has the loose, creamy consistency of risotto. If you allow the dish to stand covered off the heat for five minutes, the couscous will soak up some of the broth.

Couscous Pilaf with Chicken and Mushrooms

Preparation time: 6 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 large shallot, chopped

2 cups sliced shiitake and/or oyster mushrooms

1 tablespoon butter

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast half, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup tri-color pearl couscous

1/4 teaspoon dried, crushed thyme

1 cup hot chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet. Add garlic, shallot and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, or until shallot and mushrooms are tender. Push vegetables aside (or remove if skillet is small). Add butter and melt.

Add chicken strips and brown, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in couscous and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to toast the couscous. Add broth and scrape up any browned bits in skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until couscous is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Per serving: 345 calories; 15 grams total fat; 21 grams protein; 30 grams carbohydrates; 37 milligrams cholesterol; 422 milligrams sodium and 1 gram dietary fiber

Stuart firefighter David Harrow made a guest appearance on Live with Regis and Kelly several days ago as part of the morning show’s “Coast to Coast Firehouse Cook-Off.” And he put his special “Firehouse Penne” up against five other firefighters’ recipes.

“It was a good experience,” says Harrow.

He’s a fourth-generation firefighter, so he learned “a little about cooking around the firehouse,” he says. At home, he says, he grew up around the kitchen.
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More: Directions to Amante’s, more

If you’re in South County, or North Broward, and you’re by the beach, Check Please has a place for you. Amante’s Italian, which is also known as Bob’s Pizza, has a wonderful, dressed-up interior, as well as outdoor seating for those who like the fresh air. It’s the kind of place where you can get a slice, or a real Italian meal:

MIAMI — When Mary Urrutia Randelman wrote her pioneering Cuban cookbook nearly 20 years ago, its pages contained more than recipes for guiso de maiz (corn stew) and coco quemado (crispy coconut). They bound together memories of a happy childhood and a lost way of life with an unbridled appreciation for good food.
It was, in short, a love letter to her homeland and family.
Urrutia Randelman died 18 months ago of lung cancer at the age of 61. As a tribute to her life and her Memories of a Cuban Kitchen (Wiley, $19.95), the first Cuban cookbook by a major U.S. publisher, her siblings, mother, aunts and uncles recently hosted an evening of food, drinks and Cuban music at Books & Books in Coral Gables.
“We wanted to remember her in a special way,” said her eldest brother, Tony Urrutia. “The book still has a great following, so this is a perfect way of doing it.”
Urrutia Randelman dedicated her book to her youngest brother, Calixto, the only one of six siblings to have been born in the United States, and to her nieces and nephews who had never seen Cuba.
“For them and for other Cuban-American children,” she wrote in the introduction, “I hope to keep the traditions of Cuban life and food alive.”
Mary Urrutia was the second oldest child in a well-to-do family in Pinar del Rio. Her family moved to Miami from Cuba in 1958, fleeing violence and the inevitable change in government. When her mother, Maria Cecilia, went to work as a saleswoman at Burdines, the children took over cooking duties. The first dish they made, following their mother’s instructions, was Uncle Ben’s rice.
They soon became her prep cooks, learning to slice onions and peppers for sofrito, to marinate fish in olive oil and lime juice and to season meat.
“We’re all pretty much passionate cooks,” Tony said. “We learned early on.”
Urrutia Randelman’s siblings described her as organized and stylish, a world traveler and a gracious hostess with a flair for decorating (which she did professionally in later life).
“Mary was a great entertainer,” Tony said. “But she always managed to look like she hadn’t been cooking.”
Travels inspire focus on family recipes
Mary Helen, a younger sister, said Urrutia Randelman planned all her trips around restaurants and the foods she wanted to sample. For a 2006 family vacation in San Francisco, “she e-mailed me the itinerary and we knew where we were having breakfast, lunch and dinner.”
It was her introduction to world cuisines in her travels that inspired Urrutia Randelman to compile her family’s favorite recipes.
“She would think of the food and recipes, but she would also come up with memories of the places we would eat,” Tony says. “So she had to include those, too.”
Urrutia Randelman spent months interviewing relatives to trace her family’s history and flesh out the details of her own recollections. Then she recruited her mother to help with the recipes. They holed up for two months in Urrutia Randelman’s upstate New York home to finish their work.
“Mary would test the recipes and I would write the notes,” Maria Cecilia recalls. Eventually, editor Joan Schwartz modified some of the recipes — no lard and less sugar, for example.
Though successful as a fashion stylist and production designer, then as a food consultant, Urrutia Randelman never ceased yearning for her homeland. Mary Helen recalls that her older sister “loved, just loved” Cuba and was extremely proud of her heritage.
She and her husband, Hal Randelman, who died of cancer six weeks before she did, bought a house in Los Angeles because it looked as if it belonged in Cuba.
“I feel like I’m in Havana,” she would say when her sister called.
A longing for home infuses cookbook
In the book, Cuba sparkles and seduces. Urrutia Randelman describes summers in Havana with her Aunt Titi, lounging at the exclusive Havana Yacht Club, and visits to La Majagua, her great-uncle’s tobacco plantation; El Chamizo, the family’s cattle ranch, and Las Canas, her grandfather’s orange groves. Each of these places, with its corresponding dishes, makes a cameo appearance in her book.
At the yacht club, Urrutia Randelman remembers the doorman, resplendent in white livery, ushering them “into an extraordinary tropical garden of pink oleander, bright red cannas and long, yellow rocket flowers.”
The food was “incomparable” and her favorite delicacy was … freshly fried potato chips, followed by mariquitas, plantain chips. So of course, she included recipes for these as well as for black-eyed pea fritters, a favorite of Chinese-Cuban street vendors.
Whether she was writing lovingly of cattle roundups at El Chamizo, with recipes for such Cuban favorites as pulpeta (stuffed meatloaf), or describing the incredible desserts served at Las Canas Orange Groves, Urrutia Randelman evoked a Cuba that remains alive for the older generation of Cuban-Americans in Miami.

Guiso de Maiz (Corn Stew)
Serves 8.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 pound bacon, finely chopped
2 medium chorizos or other spicy sausage, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium green or red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup drained and chopped canned whole tomatoes or tomato sauce
3 tablespoons dry sherry
8 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup peeled and diced calabaza or butternut squash
4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 8 large ears)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

In a Dutch oven or soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is fragrant, then add the bacon and cook until crisp. Reduce heat to low, add chorizos, onion, bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, sherry, stock, potato and squash and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Add corn, salt and pepper and cook, partially covered, until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Correct the seasonings and garnish with parsley. Serve in warmed bowls.

Mary Urrutia Randelman attributed this recipe to her mother. The contrast of sweet prunes and salty ham highlights the delicate flavor of the pork.
The roast can also be served cold. Ask the meat department at your supermarket to cut the pork loin as specified. Stores that carry Latin soft drinks will have malta.

Pierna Rellena (Stuffed Roast Loin of Pork)
Serves 8.
1 (4- to 5-pound) boneless pork loin, cut with a lengthwise pocket for stuffing
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
pound ham steak, cut in 1/2-inch chunks
1 cup pitted prunes
11/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 (7-ounce) bottles Malta Hatuey
Parsley sprigs for garnish

Heat the oven to 350°. Season the roast liberally inside and out with salt and pepper and stuff the pocket with alternating layers of ham and prunes, using the handle of a wooden spoon to push the stuffing into the meat. Tie the roast with kitchen twine and place in a shallow baking pan.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar and malta and pour the mixture over the roast. Set the baking pan on the middle oven rack and roast, uncovered, 2 to 21/2 hours (25 to 30 minutes per pound), to an internal temperature of 160°, turning to brown all sides of the meat and basting often.
Allow the finished roast to stand, covered with aluminum foil, 15 to 20 minutes before carving it into thin slices. Arrange the meat on a serving platter, spoon the pan juices over and sprinkle with parsley.

Pub chips are complimentary, while the dipping sauces are $6. (Libby Volgyes / Palm Beach Post)

More: Directions, hours | Video: Beer Guy visits Gratify | Gratify’s recipe for rock shrimp and manchego grits

With its brisk foot traffic, outdoor events and energetic dining scene, West Palm Beach’s Clematis district seems a welcome shore for the nation’s "gastro pub" wave. The gastro pub concept, popular in England for more than a decade, showcases good, brasserie-style dishes in a casual tavern setting. At its best, it’s epicurean fare with a bluejeans aesthetic.

Of course, achieving this is no laid-back feat – it requires juggling seemingly contradictory elements of style and substance. Imagine a comfy booze joint with menu references to truffle oil and micro greens and fleur de sel.

This is what managing partner Gene Playter and chef Scott Helm have done in opening Gratify American gastro pub in the old Spoto’s location on Datura Street. They’ve hit the right balance between relaxed (the atmosphere) and resplendent (the food).

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Question: How should I cook a leg of lamb? I haven’t cooked lamb for many years and would appreciate some suggestions. — Lois, West Palm Beach
Answer: Although not as common in America as beef or chicken, lamb is a very flavorful meat and its popularity is gaining with the influx of immigrants from the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. In India, though, goat is the gourmet meat of choice, especially in the northeastern part of the region. Every Indian (and Pakistani and Bangladeshi) grocery store here that has a meat counter, as well as most Jamaican stores. Most carry goat meat as a staple.
For lamb or goat, the leg is a pretty expensive cut and you should invest a little effort to prepare and serve it. There are, of course, traditional ways of cooking it, such as roasting it in the oven after marinating it in olive oil, lemon juice and such herbs as rosemary, thyme, oregano and mint etc., and, of course, garlic and freshly ground pepper and salt. You can find a large number of these recipes in comprehensive cookbooks and on the Internet.
My favorite way of serving lamb is kebab, marinated with Indian spices and herbs and grilled outdoors on a charcoal or gas grill. The real deal is to do it the Indian tandoor oven, with its intense heat, but a regular outdoor grill with enough thermal output will do. Marinating for at least 12 to 24 hours makes a big difference, despite what some experts would tell you. Here is how:
If the leg has bone in, debone it using a sharp boning knife, or have your butcher do it. Cut the meat into about 1½ -inch cubes, cutting out the attached silver skin or excess fat. Wash the meat pieces and drain well. Prepare the marinade. Grind 1 chopped onion, 4 to 5 cloves of garlic and a half to 1-inch piece of ginger in a mini chopper (or finely mince together with a chef knife).
Mix with the paste 1½ to 2 teaspoons of freshly ground coriander seeds, ½ teaspoon ground cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon paprika, pinch or more of cayenne, half cup yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice and freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. For a more authentic Indian flavor, buy a packet of “boti kebab masala” from an Indian grocery (of which there are several in town) and add 1 to 2 teaspoons to the marinade mix. (Caution: They can be hot.) Toss the drained meat cubes with 3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and mix thoroughly with the marinade in a stainless steel bowl. Cover well and let marinate at least overnight in the refrigerator.
The next day, thread the lamb cubes on metal skewers and grill on a preheated charcoal or gas grill until done. Brush the meat frequently with the remaining marinade, mixing in a tablespoon or two of melted butter. Brief sparks created by dripping marinade will add to the flavor. The outside of the cubes should be almost crisp but the inside should remain still juicy. The grilling should not take more than 15 to 20 minutes. Serve with Indian naan or pita bread, brushed with butter and heated on the grill, and mint-yogurt sauce.

FEEDBACK
Phyllis Wright of West Palm Beach e-mailed about the April 28 column, “Allow pineapple to ripen fully to balance acidity and sweetness”: “I read the article and wanted to pass on this tip I learned years ago while a member of the Broward County Rare Fruit and Vegetable Council. Selecting a perfect pineapple is not as daunting as I once believed. So simple — just give a gentle tug to one of the “leaves” in the center of its tuft (not sure what it’s called). If the leaf pulls out easily, it is perfect for serving/enjoying now. It will keep in the refrigerator at this point for a few days.
“Another thought to share with you … Many years ago, I purchased a pineapple at this stage and promptly refrigerated it. Good thing, too. When I opened the fridge, there was a very large spider sitting on top!! Fortunately, the cold air had put it to sleep. My hubby was called into action to remove it — outside, of course. Now, when I buy pineapple I rinse it first to flush any other tag-alongs, then refrigerate.”

Thanks for sharing your experience. The “tuft” is simply called the crown. But be careful when you give the leaves a tug; they are thorny and can impart a painful prick. — G.R.