The Rib Masters : Barbecue: The International Language

Americans haven’t cornered the market on grilled food; there’s not a country that doesn’t have a favorite way of using the grill. Here is an international assortment of great barbecued foods--including what we consider the ultimate All-American home recipe for ribs.

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Koreans are so committed to the grilling way of life that they even grill indoors, in restaurants. This is one of the best-loved Korean dishes, a lusty version of barbecued beef ribs.

KALBI (Korean Barbecued Beef Ribs) 2/3 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons sugar 6 green onions, including some of tops, minced 6 large cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons minced ginger root 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, crushed in mortar 1 tablespoon sesame oil 3 pounds Korean-cut or flanken-cut beef ribs

Combine soy sauce, sugar, green onions, garlic, ginger root, pepper and sesame seeds. Prepare night before, or let mixture stand at least 2 hours to blend flavors. Stir in oil just before using.

Place ribs in large baking pan. Pour marinade over and turn ribs to coat thoroughly. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour.

If marinating overnight in refrigerator, reduce soy sauce to decrease saltiness. Broil over hot coals until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about: 371 calories; 2,759 mg sodium; 90 mg cholesterol; 18 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 36 grams protein; 0.27 gram fiber.

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This recipe is from Cindy Pawlcyn’s just-released “Fog City Diner Cookbook” (Ten Speed Press: 240 pages, $24.95). Pawlcyn says that the dish has been on the menu at her San Francisco restaurant since Day One; she always serves it with black beans. The flavor is bright and lively--a perfect way to welcome summer. For the Chile Sauce, be sure to get the long, blackish chile pasilla--often called chile negro in California--and not the broad, red-brown pepper often called pasilla.

CHICKEN BREAST ADOBO 6 chicken breasts, boned and skinned 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted 1/2 teaspoon achiote (annato seeds) 1 tablespoon marjoram or oregano 1 tablespoon chopped thyme 2 cloves garlic Kosher salt or sea salt 1/4 teaspoon whole or freshly ground white peppercorns 3 tablespoons Chile Paste 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 1 teaspoon orange zest 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced Juice 1 lime 1/2 cup sour cream 12 cilantro sprigs Cooked black beans

Lightly pound chicken breasts to even thickness.

With mortar and pestle or in blender, grind cumin, annato, marjoram, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Combine with Chile Paste, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar and olive oil. Reserve half of marinade for sauce and spread other half over chicken breasts and marinate at least 2 hours.

Marinate sliced onions in lime juice at least 20 minutes to 1 hour. Onions will turn bright pink.

Grill chicken breasts over medium fire. Serve with reserved marinade as sauce, garnished with sour cream, cilantro sprigs, marinated onions and black beans. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about: 279 calories; 149 mg sodium; 87 mg cholesterol; 13 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 33 grams protein; 0.61 gram fiber.

Chile Paste 2 dried ancho or cascabel chiles 2 dried pasilla (negro) chiles 2 dried guajillo chiles

Stem and seed chiles. Place chiles on baking sheet or in roasting pan and toast 5 to 8 minutes at 350 degrees, until aroma of chiles develops.

Put chiles in medium-sized bowl, add hot water to cover and soak until soft. Drain off all but 1/2 cup water. Blend chiles and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of reserved water in blender until smooth, then rub through sieve. Store in refrigerator. Makes 1/2 cup.

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This is a traditional Indian dish, and it is colored the traditional vivid red. Normally it would be cooked in a tandoor--a clay oven that blasts meat with very intense heat. But the dish works well on a regular grill and it makes a surprisingly colorful addition to a meal.

TANDOORI CHICKEN 1 (11-ounce) jar tandoori paste 1 (12-ounce) carton plain yogurt 1 teaspoon coriander seeds 3 cloves garlic 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped ginger root 1/2 bunch cilantro 1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken, cut in half

In food processor or blender, puree tandoori paste, yogurt, coriander seeds, garlic, ginger and cilantro until smooth. Pour over chicken halves and marinate overnight. Grill over medium heat until browned. Turn and grill other side until chicken is cooked. Makes 2 servings.

Note: Tandoori paste is available in Indian groceries and in some supermarkets’ ethnic and specialty areas.

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This is a grill dish dressed up in fancy clothes. It’s easy, rich, remarkably delicious.

MARINATED FLANK STEAK WITH GORGONZOLA 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 teaspoons cornstarch 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice Salt, pepper 1 (2- to 3-pound) flank steak 1/4 cup Gorgonzola or Cambazola blue cheese, crumbled

Combine olive oil, vinegar, Worcestershire, soy sauce, garlic, cornstarch, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until smooth. Pour over steak and marinate at least 1 hour, or overnight in refrigerator.

Grill steak over medium heat until browned on one side. Turn, top with cheese, and finish cooking. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Each of 4 servings contains about: 538 calories; 458 mg sodium; 91 mg cholesterol; 42 grams fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 37 grams protein; 0.01 gram fiber.

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These pizzas don’t have lots of sauce and cheese on top. They do have lots of delicious grilled vegetables. You might call them cooked salads on toast.

PIZZAS WITH GRILLED VEGETABLES 1 package dry yeast 1 teaspoon sugar 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme 1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano Grilled Pepper Topping or Grilled Radicchio Topping

Stir yeast and sugar into 2 tablespoons warm water and let stand until foamy.

In workbowl of food processor, combine flour, salt, olive oil, thyme and oregano. Pulse until blended. Add yeast combination and pulse again to mix thoroughly.

With food processor running, slowly add remaining water through feed tube. Process until dough forms ball, then process 40 seconds to knead.

Divide dough and roll out to desired size. Spread desired grilled topping on top of pizza. Bake at 425 degrees 12 to 15 minutes. Makes 2 (12-inch) pizzas, or 4 servings.

Each serving with Grilled Pepper Topping contains about:

128 calories; 336 mg sodium; 3 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.18 gram fiber.

Each serving with Grilled Radicchio Topping contains about: 145 calories; 347 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 15 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 1.04 grams fiber.

Grilled Pepper Topping 1/2 sweet red pepper 1/2 yellow pepper 1 Japanese eggplant, sliced 3 to 4 mushrooms, quartered Olive oil 1 teaspoon garlic, minced 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Brush peppers, eggplant and mushrooms with olive oil. Grill over medium heat until skin of peppers blacken and eggplant and mushrooms are browned. Remove and keep warm.

Peel peppers, remove seeds and veins and cut into strips. Combine peppers, eggplant, mushrooms and garlic. Spread on top of pizza. Then distribute cheese over all of pizza.

Grilled Radicchio Topping 1 head radicchio, cut in wedges 1/2 bunch spinach, stemmed 1 head Belgian endive, cored and cut in wedges 1/2 red onion, cut in medium slices 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup cubed smoked mozzarella

Place radicchio, spinach, endive and red onion in bowl. Drizzle over olive oil. Quickly grill vegetables just until greens are tender and all are marked from grill. Spread on top of pizza. Distribute cheese cubes over all of pizza.

HERB-STUFFED GRILLED TURKEY 1 (12- to 13-pound) turkey Salt, pepper 3/4 cup butter 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 teaspoon rosemary 1 teaspoon minced sage 1 teaspoon oregano 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Remove any fat and neck and giblets and set aside. Rinse turkey thoroughly and pat dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper inside and out.

Cream 1/2 cup butter in small bowl. Stir in garlic, rosemary, sage and oregano.

Separate skin from flesh of turkey breast, making pocket to stuff butter mixture evenly under skin of turkey. Truss bird. Skewer neck skin to back. Tie wings to body.

Place turkey breast side up in center of greased grill above drip pan over low heat. Cover grill and cook. Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter. Baste turkey occasionally with melted butter mixed with lemon juice. Continue grilling until meat thermometer registers 165 degrees in deepest part of thigh and deepest part of breast meat, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove turkey to platter and let stand 15 to 20 minutes before carving. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about: 759 calories; 422 mg sodium; 303 mg cholesterol; 48 grams fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 77 grams protein; 0.06 gram fiber.

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Finally, what we think is pretty close to the ultimate home-made rib. These ribs are crisp and chewy and satisfyingly spicy. They are also extremely meaty . Because the ribs start off with a rub and a slow bake, the meat does not shrink from the bone. If you like a saucier rib, you can simply brush the ribs with your favorite barbecue sauce just before you serve them. This recipe is from “The Thrill of the Grill,” by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby (Morrow).

BARBECUE RIBS, MISSOURI-STYLE Salt Sugar 2 tablespoons ground cumin Freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons chili powder 4 tablespoons paprika 2 (3 pounds each) full racks pork spareribs 1 3/4 cups white vinegar 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

Combine 2 tablespoons salt, 4 tablespoons sugar, cumin, 2 tablespoons pepper, chili powder and paprika in bowl and stir well. Rub dry rub mixture over ribs.

Place ribs on baking sheets and bake at 180 degrees for 3 hours.

Remove ribs from oven. (Ribs can be done up to 2 days ahead to this point and then refrigerated.)

Over very low charcoal fire, with rack set as high as possible, grill ribs until light crust forms on outside, up to 30 minutes per side. Turn ribs over and repeat.

Combine vinegar, hot pepper sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon pepper and baste ribs with mixture just before removing from grill. (If “dry” ribs are desired, sauce can be served on side.) Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about: 769 calories; 3,787 mg sodium; 186 mg cholesterol; 58 grams fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 42 grams protein; 1.65 grams fiber.