Food
Master The Grill With Tips From A Top Chef Canada Judge
Published on June 26, 2020
Top Chef Canada judge Chris Nuttall-Smith shares his best crowd-pleasing barbecue recipes.
“Friends of my parents threw a pig roast when I was a kid. It was the exact opposite of fancy: a barrel barbecue, leashless, flappy-tongued dogs and a cooler full of frost-rimed stubby beer bottles. I remember piling a flimsy cardboard plate far higher than I had any business piling it — ‘Your eyes are bigger than your stomach, kid’ — and the unmistakable smell of charcoal briquettes in my hair and clothes as I drifted off on the car ride home. Yet what’s stuck with me most of all, even all these years later, is the look people had when that dinner was ready: overjoyed and feral and more grateful than I knew was possible. There was strange power, I realized, in grilling for a crowd. Pretty much everything I know about backyard barbecue parties I learned on that single summer’s day.
And I guess I’ve been trying to create that same feeling ever since I moved out on my own. I’ve always been the guy who invites everyone over. And I’ve been known to shovel a three-foot-deep path through the snow from the patio steps to the barbecue. The sudden quiet as the patio door slips shut; the crackle and smell of charcoal embers; the close conversations with the few early outdoor joiners, tongs and (unstubby) beers in hand. Summer, winter or anytime in between, it’s a matter of minutes until the party relocates to the grill.”
The striking backsplash in Chris’ kitchen is backpainted tempered glass. “I love the color pop it gives the space,” he says.
The tomato red Ikea cabinet houses vintage china and an impressive collection of cocktail ingredients.
Ubiquitous in Japan, the ice cream light was a vacation buy from the restaurant supply district in Tokyo.
A surplus of cookbooks comes with the job: Chris does a cull once a year. “Every one I keep is because I cook out of it, too,” he says.
Creamy Polenta With Roasted Corn
“Roasted in its husk on a grill or at the edge of a fire, corn develops the perfect mix of smokiness and sweetness while the husk keeps it from drying out,” says Chris. “This recipe combines three of the most delicious foods imaginable: creamy polenta, sweet Italian mascarpone and grilled summer corn.”
Get the recipe for Creamy Polenta With Roasted Corn.
Slow-Roasted Tomatoes With Hot Honey
“The last time I was in New York, I met Eden Grinshpan from Top Chef Canada for dinner at her local: a knockout Italian spot called Misi,” says Chris. “Afterward, I couldn’t get these sweet, super-concentrated, honey- and chili-kissed tomatoes out of my mind.”
Get the recipe for Slow-Roasted Tomatoes With Hot Honey.
Spatchcocked Chicken With Dijon Mustard & Herbs
“This is basically grilled chicken gone to finishing school: it’s hugely flavorful (the sumac adds a smoky citrus element), easy to make (really!) and it comes off the barbecue looking like a million bucks,” says the chef. “Good luck stopping your friends from stealing pieces off the cutting board!”
Get the recipe for Spatchcocked Chicken With Dijon Mustard & Herbs.
Herb & Citrus Salad
“North Americans mostly see herbs as a garnish, but year ago in Lebanon, I had a salad that was flavored with mint and lime juice, and the combination basically hanged my life,” says Chris. “Any mix of herbs will do here; the more the better.”
Get the recipe for Herb & Citrus Salad.
Crispy Grilled Lamb With Tart Fruit Relish
“Butterflied leg of lamb is maybe the most underrated grilling meat there is,” he says. “It takes marinades beautifully, develops crunchy, tasty and charry bits and, because it never comes uniformly thick, you get a great range of doneness for your guests to choose from. This version is a riff on a Lynn Crawford recipe, and it’s barbecue party solid gold.”
Get the recipe for Crispy Grilled Lamb With Tart Fruit Relish.
Dutch Baby With Grilled Fruit & Vanilla Sugar
“I think of these as little hillbilly soufflés,” says the chef. “The recipe is from Top Chef Canada winner Nicole Gomes, and it’s one of the most impressive uses of a grill I’ve ever seen. This recipe is in heavy rotation at my house now.”
Get the recipe for Dutch Baby With Grilled Fruit & Vanilla Sugar.
Maya Visnyei
House & Home June 2020
Produced by Eshun Mott