Grilled Pineapple & BBQ Trick
MARK GOLDBERG, executive chef, Park
The fare at newly opened Park in Harvard Square is very good about highlighting the base essence of each ingredient, which is why it's no surprise that executive chef Mark Goldberg knows when not to overcomplicate things.
"Something I just recently fell back in love with is grilling pineapple," he says. "I know, so late '90s. Next I'll be making mango salsa."
The father of three girls, Goldberg adds that the pineapple also acts as a sneaky bait-and-switch: "They think they're eating candy and getting away with it." We can get behind that. All you have to do is peel a pineapple, slice into rings, and grill a few minutes on each side.
"The best part about it is you can put anything on the grill if you know how to do it," says Goldberg, citing a good foil pouch as an easy trick. Simply place your ingredients — cut potatoes, or what have you — on a sheet of foil, fold over one edge, then neatly fold the three open edges to form a "pillow" out of the foil. Throw the pouch on the coals over moderate heat for a few minutes, and you've got a summer version of a microwave: everything steams, roasts, bakes, and grills at the same time.
"I love being able to produce an entire meal on the grill in the summer," Goldberg says. "We usually dine outside on the patio, so clean-up is just a hose away."
PARK | 59 JFK St, Cambridge | 617.491.9851 |parkcambridge.com
