Chef Craig Kuhns has a passion for an open fire—as long as he can cook something over it
With a culinary curriculum vitae that lists time in the kitchens at Devereaux’s, Nose Dive, Lazy Goat, Greenbrier Farms, Topsoil, and most recently, culinary director at Cook’s Station, Craig Kuhns not only has some serious cooking chops, he also turns out some serious chops on the grill. “You name it, I’ve probably [grilled] it,” he says with a grin.
At home, he alternates between his Weber grill and his firepit. When cooking on the latter, he’ll split some oak wood, pile it on the firepit, and place a grate over the flames. While a steak dressed simply with salt, pepper, and olive oil is this chef’s idea of a perfect dinner, he frequently grills outside the box, firing up the likes of romaine for a smoky take on a Caesar salad, and halloumi cheese (it chars instead of melts) with marble potatoes. He even once deboned a whole hog, rolled it up porchetta-style, and grilled it for an event at Greenbrier Farms.
In addition to teaching regular classes at The Cook’s Station on topics from cast-iron cooking to Asian fusion, Kuhns imparts his grilling knowledge to participants at Georgia Bushcraft, an outdoor education center and retailer in Watkinsville, Georgia, that teaches wilderness and survival skills. Whether there or at Cook’s Station, Kuhns finds gratification in the entertainment aspect of teaching: relating personal anecdotes, imparting techniques, and cracking a joke or two. “I enjoy making people happy,” says the chef. “I push people not to use a recipe as a crutch. I want them to come out of my class knowing a technique they can then use to experiment with at home. In my classes, people learn new things that they’ll be able to carry with them for the rest of their lives.”
As far as outdoor grilling goes, Kuhns muses, what’s not to like? You’re sitting in the yard with friends or family on a warm summer evening, listening to your favorite tunes, perhaps with a glass of wine or a cocktail in hand. “Grilling should be the funnest thing ever,” he exclaims. “It’s man’s oldest form of entertainment.” Perhaps best of all, on the hottest summer days, you can cook an entire meal outside—without ever having to heat up the oven.
Non-traditional grilling recipes from Craig Kuhns
Grilled Vegetable Salad with Herb Dressing
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise
- 1 squash (the best summer squash you can find at the farmers market), cut in half lengthwise
- 1 red onion, sliced in thick rounds for grilling
- 1 ear of corn
- 1 bell pepper (red, yellow, or green; you could even use a poblano pepper), cut in half, seeds and ribs removed
- 1 8 oz block halloumi cheese
- ½ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted in a dry pan
- Fresh herbs for garnishing (I like Italian parsley, oregano, and lemon balm)
Instructions
- Toss all the vegetables in half of the Herb Dressing (recipe follows), and place on grill over high heat. Add the block of halloumi to the grill with the vegetables.
- Grill vegetables and cheese until you see nice grill marks and vegetables are starting to soften.
- When vegetables and cheese are done, cut the kernels off the ear of corn and cut the other vegetables and halloumi into bite-size pieces.
- Toss with fresh herbs, drizzle on more dressing, and serve.
Herb Dressing
Yield: 2 cups
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch of scallions, white and green parts, roughly chopped
- ½ bunch parsley
- 4 sprigs of rosemary
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 lemons, zest and juice
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Put all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a blender and blend on high. Once blended, slowly add the oil until the dressing is smooth and emulsified.
Leftover dressing will keep in the refrigerator for a month.
Grilled Striped Bass with Tomato Salad and Grilled Peach Vinaigrette
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 2lbs striped bass fillet, skin on, cut into 4 or 6 pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Avocado oil, for brushing
Instructions
- Brush fish with oil and place on grill over high heat. Grill for 5 minutes on one side; then flip and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Serve with Tomato Salad (recipe follows) on the side and garnish each plate with a grilled peach half.
Tomato Salad with Peach Vinaigrette
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 lb heirloom tomatoes (mixed colors, cut into large chunks for grilling)
- 2 Tbsp capers
- 1 shallot, cut in half
- Fresh herbs to taste (I like parsley, thyme, chives, and purple basil)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Peach Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Season tomatoes and shallot with salt and pepper to taste, and toss with some of the Peach Vinaigrette. Grill tomatoes and shallot on high heat until they are softened and lightly charred.
- Toss grilled vegetables in a bowl with capers, herbs, and remaining Peach Vinaigrette. Serve Tomato Salad as a side with the fish.
Peach Vinaigrette
Yield: 2 cups
Ingredients
- 4 peaches, skin on, cut in half
- 1 shallot, cut in half
- 1 Tbsp whole grain mustard (I love Lusty Monk mustard from Asheville)
- ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Toss peach halves, tomatoes, and shallot in olive oil and season with salt and pepper; then grill until soft and grill marks appear.
- Add 4 peach halves to blender with all other ingredients, except oil. Blend well, then slowly add oil until emulsified.
- Use the remaining 4 grilled peach halves to garnish the plate.
