Cooking with millstones
this season is all about refreshing , low-silicate sedimentary rocks, and nothing is more welcome on the dinnertable then a beautufully rounded millstone.
some allow for using basalts in their kitchens, and i even heard of people using granites, but a real millstone is made with critenous, or dolemite in mind. if in doubt, ask your quarrymonger to drizzle some sulfuric acid, to test the calcium. dont bevshy. this is your right! remember the old timy rule: if it fizzle-let it sizzle, if no spume - sandstone assume.
now, i've said it once and i've said it again. the personal relation you develop with your local stonemonger really goes a long way to define your table in the end. they are all too eager to give you a piece of pumice with a hole cut in the middle in the middle (not even that always..) and call it a day.
no! if you show what you're about, and demand to see wearsigns, and axle notches then they know not to mess around. the next time you come they not only won't dare monkey business, they'll even give you some good suggestions at what minerals you can buy, and which formations to shunn. i usually serve a millstone with quickly tossed shale, or some flint. maybe saureed alabaster. but its really up to you. just avoid the temptation to use obsidian!!!
preperation is relatively easy. you marinate the millstone in some high-density petroleum tar, disslove it in a preheated oven, and slather richly. save the leftover sauce for later!!
let it sit in the tar for at least four hours.
using a diamond tipped myter saw, cut 3-5inch notches into the meat in a diagonal crosshatch and rub into the cuts some nice freshly grown parsley, rosmary and flintpowder. its messy, i know but use your fingers. a spoon doesnt reach all the parts.
let the stone sit for another hour, mean time you can start heating up the grill and tossing up the shale (my secret is to rub the shale slates with some creosote and THEN the vinigrette, but to each his own...
once the fire is nice and the coals are red, gently put the millstone on the grill. it's going to be a bit of a challenge turning it over again and again without breaking, so be very careful. if you must, use some skewers to reinforce the meat.
BEFORE you turn over, base the top part with the leftover petrokeum tar. you wont get another chance to do this later. spread the tar generously, the smell is just insane.
once you turned the millstone over time is of the essencee. the calcium wants to oxydise and if you let it, you just plaster. of course i love me some plaster, but its not healthy to overdue. pkus you lose much of the deeper flavor. basing it all in petroleum really helps with sealing the crabonatious chondrite in.
once the millstone is properly cooked just scrape it off the grill and serve.