Secrets Of No-Heat Cooking

Can't stand the heat? Don't get out of the kitchen — just don't use the stove, or break a sweat!

You can do it with "no-heat" cooking, which is just what the name implies: preparing food without using heat, or using very little.

It's perfect for summer!

On The Early Show Thursday, Michael Anthony, executive chef of New York's Gramercy Tavern, showed how to make some easy, no-heat dishes — with local ingredients.

Anthony took over the kitchen at Gramercy Tavern last fall, and his style of cooking has won over many regulars and food critics. He recently earned a three-star review from The New York Times.

Anthony is one of over 30 culinary professionals joining Food & Wine magazine's campaign promoting the cause of buying local. The chef community, especially, has embraced the cause.

Food & Wine considers food to be local if it comes from within a 100-mile radius. People who embrace it are now being referred to as "locavores."

They say eating locally-grown food can help preserve remaining family farms and our rural landscape, and keeps food dollars in the local economy.

Food & Wine launched the "Grow for Good" campaign in January, in an effort to raise awareness and $1 million to support local farms and encourage sustainable agriculture. The money will go to Farm to Table, which seeks to save 1,500 farms nationwide.

To learn more about "Grow for Good," click here. You'll find, among other things, links to locate your local farmers' market.

Why does it matter to buy local? Anthony says that our food travels an average of 2,000 miles from farm to plate, taking a toll on the environment. In an age when people are focused on reducing their "carbon footprints," buying local is a significant way to go about it. Also, in general, local food is fresher, since it doesn't need to travel as far, and fresher food tastes better!

RECIPES

Beet Skewers

Yield: 18 skewers

Red radish 10 each
Watermelon radish 2 each
Red beets 2 each
Sun chokes 2 each
Parsley 8 sprigs, washed and picked
Olive oil to coat, plus tbsp to drizzle
Chives 5 sprigs
Fleur de sel 1 tbsp
Raspberry vinegar 1 tbsp

Special equipment:
Wooden skewers
Small circular ring mold

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Wash radishes, beets and sun chokes in cold water. Dry thoroughly.
3. Toss beets in olive oil so that they are generously coated. Place beets in a single layer on an aluminum foil lined baking pan. Wrap pan with foil so beets are covered and no moisture can escape.
4. Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool. Peel beets and trim ends. Slice beet and, using ring mold, cut out circular pieces. Set aside.
5. Trim ends of watermelon radish. Slice and cut out circular pieces. Set aside.
6. Trim ends of red radish and slice into circular pieces. Set aside.
7. Peel sun chokes and slice into circular pieces. Set aside.
8. Place on skewers, alternating vegetables: beet, parsley leaf, red radish, sun choke, watermelon radish, beet, red radish, sun choke, watermelon radish, beet, parsley leaf, red radish. When placing radishes onto skewer, fold in half without breaking.
9. Lightly drizzle skewers with olive oil and raspberry vinegar and sprinkle with chives and fleur de sel.
10. Place on plate atop the beet vinaigrette.

Beet Vinaigrette

Yield: 1 quart

Red beets 8 oz.
Red wine vinegar (Pouret) 1 tbsp
Raspberry vinegar (Montegerro) 2 tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Olive oil (Terre Bormane) 1/2 pint, plus extra to coat beets
Water 8 oz

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Clean beets by scrubbing with a vegetable brush in cold water. Dry thoroughly.
3. Toss beets in olive oil so that they are generously coated. Place beets in a single layer on an aluminum foil lined baking pan. Wrap pan with foil so beets are covered and no moisture can escape.
4. Place in oven and cook for 45 minutes. Remove and let cool.
5. Peel beets and trim ends. Cut into chunks and place in blender. Puree.
6. Combine raspberry vinegar, lemon juice, water and red wine vinegar. Add to blender.
7. While blending, slowly drizzle in olive oil to form an emulsion.
8. Mix until well combined.

Citrus Cured Char

Char is a cross between trout and salmon.

Salt 1 quart
Sugar 1/2 quart
Orange zest from 4 oranges
Lemon zest from 4 lemons
Lime zest from 4 limes
Fennel seed 2 Tbsp
White pepper 2 Tbsp
Coriander seed 2 Tbsp
Star anise 5 each

Combine all ingredients and pat onto all sides of char. Wrap in plastic and let cure overnight under refrigeration.

Calamari and Carrot Salad

Yield: 6 portions

Cured Lemons
Lemons 25 each
Salt 1 quart
Sugar 1/2 quart
Black pepper 1 oz
Fennel seed 1 oz
Cumin 1 oz
Coriander 1 oz
Chile flakes 1/2 oz
Star anise 2 pieces
Cardamom pods 5 pieces
Lemon juice 1/2 quart

1. Wash lemons and cut into quarters leaving one end in tact.
2. Place black pepper, fennel seed, cumin and coriander in a hot frying pan and toast until fragrant.
3. In a large, air tight container combine all ingredients. Let cure 1 month under refrigeration.

Lemon Vinaigrette

Lemon juice 1 pint
Lemon oil 1 pint
Wild flower honey (Hamptons Honey) 3 tbsp
Onion puree 3 tbsp
White wine vinegar 3 tbsp
Olive oil (Terre Bormane) 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

1. Combine lemon juice, honey, onion puree and white wine vinegar. While whisking, slowly drizzle in lemon oil to form an emulsion. Whisk in olive oil.
2. Season with salt and pepper.

Onion Puree
Yellow onions, medium, julienne 10 each
Olive oil 3 tbsp plus more for blending
Water 3 tbsp

1. Sweat onions in olive until tender. Add water as needed to avoid color.
2. Puree in blender with olive oil until smooth.

Method for Assembly of Salad:

Meyer lemons, cured 8 each
Meyer lemons, rinds only 2 each
Garlic, whole heads 5 each
Lemon vinaigrette to cover (approx. 4 cups)
Calamari, cleaned, bodies open 1 lb.
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Olive oil as needed
Yellow carrots, julienned 8 each
Italian parsley, picked and chopped 4 oz
Pine nuts, toasted 4 oz
Mizuna lettuce to taste (as garnish)
Wasabi tobiko 2 tbsp

1. Juice and strain cured lemons. Mix with meyer lemon rinds and garlic heads. This forms the marinade.
2. Season calamari with salt, pepper and olive oil and lightly sauté.
3. Cut calamari, separating the bodies from the tentacles. Cut the bodies into thin julienne. Cut tentacles into similar size pieces.
4. Mix with marinade and cover with lemon vinaigrette. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.
5. Mix carrot julienne, parsley, toasted pine nuts and calamari just before serving.
6. Garnish with mizuna lettuce.
7. Stir wasabi tobiko into 1 cup lemon vinaigrette. Drizzle on plate around calamari just before serving.