The Mediterranean region has some of the best cuisines in the world. With a focus on seasonality and high-quality, what better way to show off the abundance than with the grill? We interviewed Chef Alex Tubero of OPTO, a Mediterranean restaurant in New York City, to learn more. An expert on Mediterranean cuisine, Chef Tubero teaches us all about Mediterranean grilling.
“Compared to pan searing, I like how the grill juxtaposes subtle and aggressive cooking,” says Chef Tubero. “You get the steam and flare-ups from the grill, adding complexity to the texture and flavor.”
The essentials of Mediterranean-style grilling
Mediterranean cuisine is best known for its focus on high-quality simplicity – think olive oil and lemon juice. “We work in the mindset that serving the best and highest quality ingredients is the most essential part of cooking,” explains Chef Tubero. “Marco Pierre White said, ‘Mother Nature is the true artist, and our job as cooks is to allow her to shine.’ Seasonality helps us follow mother nature’s timeline of what to eat.”
Following this advice, Chef Tubero will, at times, use ingredients and techniques that aren’t Mediterranean but still adhere to this concept of high quality. For instance, he uses Japanese binchotan charcoal at OPTO, as it allows for higher heat and fewer flare-ups. A great piece of advice from chef is that “the fat content is a natural timer; once the fat starts to melt and the grill flares up, you know it’s time to flip.” When it comes to ingredients, fish, and produce (such as the Grilled Summer Squash and Canary Islands Branzino on the OPTO menu), he prefers to let the natural flavors shine during the grilling process. Although he does use sugar-laced marinades and rubs for leaner proteins. “It’s a case-by-case basis depending on the purpose of the dish,” states Chef Tubero.
How to grill like a master chef
While OPTO features an extensive menu, the grilled dishes are a highlight. We were able to try some entrees firsthand. The Charred Spanish Octopus was excellent paired with garlicky potatoes, and the Black Sea Bass is perfectly flaky, the skin remaining crispy. To avoid the delicate white fish from falling apart during grilling, Chef Turbero recommends keeping it on the bone when cooking while also combining cooking styles. “I often get the char from the grill early on the cooking process and finish the fish in the oven or over the grill to avoid it falling apart,” explains Chef Tubero.
Chef Tubero is also a fan of combining Mediterranean ingredients and techniques with other global influences. A great example of this is the Rocky Mountain Lamb Chops, which features pomegranate molasses with black garlic, an ingredient from Asia, in a sauce for the meat. “By using this as a glaze on the lamb chops, it burns quickly and creates a charred, caramelized effect, imparting a lot of flavor very quickly,” says Chef Tubero. “Ras El Hanout and chermoula are both North African, a very underappreciated part of the Mediterranean when considering what Mediterranean cuisine is.”
