Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Our grilling adventures have not been limited to the savories. The other night we grilled some apricots for dessert, serving them with some organic blackberry ice cream and a raspberry beer. To grill the apricots, I halved and pitted them, rubbed them with butter, sprinkled them with cinnamon, ginger, and raw sugar. Jacob tossed them on the grill just enough to caramelize the topping and soften the fruit.

Because I love to create a colorful plate, I gravitate towards vibrantly hued foods - rich golden beets, purple potatoes, dark leafy greens. I recently discovered red quinoa at the grocery store and it's been a staple in my shopping cart ever since. The Incas held the crop to be sacred, referring to quinoa as 'chisaya mama', or 'mother of all grains.' It's definitely a Mann-family favorite; we love it. I make a simple pilaf with my quinoa, tossing in nuts of some kind and a dash of sea salt and a splash of olive oil. This pilaf had toasted, but unsalted, pistachios for a lovely red and green addition to my plates.

Who knew that the only thing I had to do to get Jacob to cook dinner was to get the man a grill?!? Had I known that, I would have done it years ago. He's been on a roll! We're making our way through "The Art of the Grill" as well as experimenting because, as we all know, I can't follow a recipe to save my life. Here's our Espresso-Salt Filet Mignon...a nice cut of meat in a dry rub of finely ground, dark roasted coffee, sea salt, and ground pink peppercorns. Cooked to medium rare and served with some grilled calcot onions and rosemary potatoes. Wow!