Douglas Rodriguez's Latin Flavors on the Grill

Rating:
Summary: Tried four recipes this weekend and they all got RAVES!
Review: I gave this cookbook a workout this weekend. I tried two appetizers -- cheese dip and grilled pork. This started the meal off right, as my guests cleaned-up every bit.

We moved on to the honey-mustard, fried-plantain crusted lamb, which is an incredible taste combination. (I complemented this with a corn recipe from another cookbook.)

The meal ended with the best chocolate dessert EVER: Chocolate Pound Cake. At one point, one of my friends exclaimed, "I'm not eating another bite because I just reached heaven." My husband and I have been fighting over the remains.

THUMBS UP for Mr. Rodriquez!

P.S. I have a leg of lamb from this book marinating in the frig now. It smells incredible.

Rating:
Summary: Sophisticated, complex flavors
Review: New York chef Douglas Rodriguez, known for his bold flavors and flashy, sophisticated approach to Latin cuisine, turns his attention to grilling in this beautifully illustrated, oversize book, full-page photos accompanying many recipes, from the Bacardi Cocktail to the Passion Fruit Trifle.

The backyard hamburger gets a makeover with ground pork and chile, cumin and coriander; boneless beef short ribs are served with an opal basil chimichurri; mango barbecue sauce perks up frogs' legs or grilled pork.

Most of the recipes call for some preparation time in the form of sauces, marinades or relishes. Mussels in Banana Leaves, for instance, requires a saffron reduction to be added to a softened butter, the banana leaves to be cut in a rectangle, dotted with saffron butter and thyme before being folded around the mussels, the packages then wrapped in foil and grilled. Follow this with Grilled Lobster with Coconut-Ginger Mojo or a classical Paella and you may be too tired to eat.

Simpler recipes abound though - Cornish Game Hen with Honey Mustard Garlic Cilantro Glaze is marinated in the glaze a day ahead; Ham Steak with Grilled Pineapple Tomatillo Salsa, Shrimp with Avocado Horseradish Salsa, Salmon with Dill Chimichurri.

Among the sides are a Spicy Radish Slaw, Yucca Hash Browns, Grilled Hearts of Palm and Cherry Tomato Salad. Breads include arepas, flatbreads and cornmeal biscuits and desserts, while not grilled, go well with the spicy fare: Cool Spiced Flan, Espresso Cream. Rodriguez also includes grill basics - adobos, glazes and vinaigrettes.

A book for the cook who wants to dazzle.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!!! Nuevo Latino for the grill.
Review: The perfect compliment to Douglas Rodriguez's "Nuevo Latino" book. This new book reintroduces us to the latin style of cooking present by Mr. Rodriguez, through the use of the ever popular grill. A must for those of us who enjoy and love grilling, smoking and outdoors cooking. The book provides an good introduction to the style and background to the cooking style. Each of the recipes, from beverages and appetizers to seafoods and meat main dishes to deserts and sauces, is preceded by a short but highly interesting description of the dish and some of its ingredients. The instruction are simple and easy to follow although some are very time consuming and need a great deal of preparetion.

Latin Flavors on the Grill is stunningly presented as a hard cover book, the pictures and descriptions are mouth-watering.