BBQ Tuscan style

Prepare the grill and let it burn down to medium coals. Put the onions in a non-reactive medium bowl and toss with the 2 tablespoons of vinegar. Let marinate until the color changes, about 10 minutes.

Brush the corn liberally with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Grill, turning every few minutes, until light gold all over and cooked, about 12 minutes. Let cool and cut off the kernels. Discard the cobs. Add the corn to the onions.

Core the tomatoes and cut a small X on the bottom of each. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place on the grill, X side down, away from direct heat. Cover the grill and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften but are not cooked all the way through (or they will melt through the grate!), about 15 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel. Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise and squeeze out the juice and the seeds through a sieve into a bowl. Reserve the juices and chop the flesh.

Add the chopped tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, and basil to the corn. Toss well. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper, and more vinegar, if necessary. The salsa is best eaten the same day but will keep, covered and refrigerated, a day or so.

Slice bread into thick slices and grill them so that they are crisp on the outside, but still soft within. Serve the salsa on it as a first course. It’s so simple, it can easily be assembled amid the tumult of family gatherings.

The classic Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a large Porterhouse steak that usually weighs around one kilo (2.2 pounds). In Tuscan restaurants the steak is offered by the “etto” or in 100-gram (4 oz.) increments. This great steak includes both the strip loin and the filet. I also use a rib-eye steak with this method. Always use the best meat, gray salt, coarse ground black pepper and balsamic vinegar that you can find. The marriage of all these ingredients will reveal a noble meal of authentic Italian flavor.

For my Tuscan BBQ on “Weekend Today,” I paired the bistecca with two unique condimenti, or finishes, to the steak: grilled lemon halves or a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. An option to using expensive and rare balsamic is to use a Tuscan-flavored steak sauce. I make one with roasted-garlic, sweetened with raisins, and, to give it a nice bite, black pepper. As you’ll see throughout this menu, Italians love a mix of tart and sweet, called agrodolce.

Let the steak rest outside of the refrigerator for one hour before cooking. Liberally season the steak with gray salt and pepper and press the seasoning into the meat.

About gray salt: If you change just one thing about your cooking, make it the salt. The gray salt I use, from Brittany’s coast, retains all the minerals found in the sea, echoing your body’s mineral content exactly. Because of its taste, I use gray salt exclusively, and cherish the natural flavors it highlights in all foods.

To grill:

Use a hot, clean and oiled grill. Grill the steak for about 5-6 minutes on each side for medium rare. The filet will cook a little faster than the strip loin. Move the steak every two minutes or so for even cooking and a crispy exterior.

For pan roasting:

If pan-roasting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat a cast-iron skillet with a little olive oil until smoking hot. Turn on the fan, open the window and stand back to avoid getting spattered! Using tongs, place the steak in the center of the pan. Cook until the first side is seared brown, about 4 minutes. Turn the steak and place the pan in the oven until the steak is done, about 6 minutes for medium rare.

Remove the steak to a carving board and let rest for at least 5 minutes before carving.

Serve with grilled lemon halves or drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Grilled lemon halves:

Cut the lemon in half and brush the cut side with olive oil.

For pan roasting: Place cut side down alongside the steak. When marked, turn the lemons over and cook in the oven alongside the steak.

To grill:

Place the lemons cut side down on the grill to mark. Turn the lemon over and move to a cooler part of the grill to finish cooking.

Serve all bistecca with some extra gray salt on the table.

In a non-reactive saucepan, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the bell peppers, jalapenos, and gray salt. Cook over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes or until the peppers are partially tender. Stir from the bottom from time to time, adjusting the heat as necessary so that they don’t brown. There will still be some liquid left in the pan.

Add the tomatoes, lower the heat to simmer, and continue to cook for about 30 minutes to reduce the tomato juice and finish cooking the peppers. Add additional salt if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature as an accompaniment to Bistecca alla Fiorentina.

Cut radicchio in half. Remove and discard hard core; slice radicchio 1/8” thick. You will have about 4 cups. Do the same with the cabbage. Put both in bowl of cold water, soak for 20 minutes, and drain. Put back into water for another 20 minutes (this removes bitterness), drain, dry well, and set aside.

Trim large stems from watercress and set aside.

For dressing:

In a small sauté pan over low heat, toast fennel seeds for about 3-5 minutes, until light brown, tossing occasionally. Crush the toasted seeds in a mortar and pestle, or seal in plastic bag and roll with rolling pin.

In a saucepan, place the fennel seeds, honey, and champagne vinegar. Bring to a simmer, stirring well. Whisk in olive oil and season with gray salt and pepper.

Place the radicchio and Napa cabbage in a bowl. Add dressing while warm and toss well. Add watercress, a pinch of gray salt, and toss.

Combine vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper. Mix well to incorporate. Let stand for 15 minutes. When ready, stir again to incorporate all the sugar then pour over sliced strawberries and gently toss until berries are fully coated. Gently crush biscotti into 4 serving bowls. Spoon strawberries on top. Stir mascarpone cheese to a smooth consistency then top each serving with a dollop of mascarpone. Finish with any remaining syrup and serve immediately.

Optional serving suggestion: For an elegant presentation, place a single Italian-style biscotti finger upright in a martini glass. Spoon marinated berries into the glass and top with frozen yogurt or gelato.