Edouardo Jordan's Spring Grilling Bucket List
F&W Best New Chef 2016 Edouardo Jordan comes by his grilling skills the old-fashioned way; he grew up on Southern-style cookouts with his family. "One of my favorite things to grill is a big, juicy pork chop," says Jordan, who puts his own spin on the staple by flavoring it with grains of paradise, an aromatic West African spice. Here, the star chef of Salare in Seattle shares his five favorite foods to grill for spring.
1. Crab. "In the Pacific Northwest, we have stellar fresh Dungeness crab. I love turning it upside down and just letting it steam on the grill. Nothing on it. No butter. Nothing. Just eating the fresh crab on its own is the best."
2. Whole fish. "My go-to fish for spring grilling is trout. I like to stuff sliced lemons into the belly and finish it with some salt, lemon juice and chopped herbs."
3. Ramps. "Ramps are great grilled simply, with a little bit of olive oil, and finished with sea salt."
4. Mushrooms. "It's not technically grilling, but I love to throw some mushrooms in a cast-iron pan on the grill. You can use any mushroom, but I really like morels for spring with a little caraway, thyme, some salt and butter. I'll top them with a little chopped parsley."
5. Mixed Vegetables. "I'll grill a medley of spring vegetables, especially the baby vegetables (carrots and pearl onions) and serve them with yogurt or harissa."