SUMMER IS approaching and with outdoor
cookouts, fun get-togethers and picnics, it's
time to fire up the barbecue, toss on some
burgers and get grilling.
Chicken tops the list of versatile foods for outdoor cooking.
It accommodates almost any
seasoning, marinade or sauce,
and can be grilled or barbecued with excellent results.
The simplest, quickest method for cooking chicken pieces or quartered or split birds is grilling over direct heat, such as a bed of hot coals. The density of whole chickens, however, requires longer, slower cooking over indirect heat to ensure that the bird is thoroughly done. Chicken that's been grilled outdoors can be served just as it comes from the grill, allowed to cool in a flavourful marinade, or with a sauce for adding at the table.
Grilled fish is light and wonderful for summertime. Whole red snapper is a great main course, but any fresh fish will be excellent prepared this way. If you prefer a filet of fish, it works well too. Just keep in mind the cooking time so that you don't overcook the fish.
A summer salad is all you need for a side dish, add fresh papaya or mangoes and you've got a healthy dessert. Enjoy!
Chicken Barbecue,
Georgia-Style
The sweet, mild basting sauce
produces a caramelised crust that helps keep the chicken tender and juicy during cooking. For a smokier flavour, add chips or chunks of
hickory, mesquite or other
flavoured woods.
1 1/2 cups tomato puree
1 cup cider vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup firmly packed
dark brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
3 tbsps. mustard
2 tsps. minced garlic
1 lemon (or 1/2 lime), juiced
1 chicken (3 to 4 lbs.), cut into
serving pieces
METHOD
1. To prepare sauce, combine all ingredients except chicken in a large non-reactive saucepan. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often. Set aside for 1 hour to permit flavours to meld. Wash chicken; pat dry.
2. Prepare charcoal fire for indirect-heat cooking. When coals are ready, place chicken directly over hot coals; lightly brown on both sides (about 5 minutes per side). Re-arrange chicken on rack so that pieces are not directly over coals; close lid. Cook, monitoring coals to maintain a low cooking temperature (about 225 degrees) for 15 minutes. Then turn chicken again.
3. Grill another 15 minutes, then place heavy-duty aluminium foil under chicken to help prevent flare-ups. Baste chicken with half of the sauce, reserving remaining sauce. Close lid. Every 10 minutes, baste chicken; turn over. Chicken is done when internal temperature of thickest part of breast meat registers 170 degrees and other parts register 180 degrees (50 minutes to 1 hour total). Pass reserved sauce at the table.
Serves 4.
Mustard-Grilled Chicken Legs
An herb and mustard marinade complements dark-meat chicken.
2 tbsps. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. dry white wine
1/4 tsp. each dried basil, oregano,
rosemary and thyme
1 or 2 cloves garlic,
minced or pressed
4 whole chicken legs
(with thighs attached)
METHOD
1. In a small bowl, mix mustard, wine, herbs and garlic until well combined. Spread evenly over all surfaces of chicken. Cover chicken; refrigerate for 3 hours.
2. Prepare a hot charcoal fire for direct-heat cooking. When coals are ready, arrange chicken on grill about 6 inches above coals. Grill until thickest parts of leg and thigh register 180 degrees and meat is well browned (about 45 minutes total).
Serves 4.
Grilled Chicken
with Garlic Sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsps. minced garlic
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly
ground black pepper
1 roasting chicken
(about 4 lbs.), cut in 8 pieces
GARLIC SAUCE
4 tbsps. olive oil
2 tbsps. peanut oil
1 egg yolk
Juice of 1/2 lemon
(or 1/4 lime)
1 1/2 tsps. minced garlic
2 tbsps. cream
1 tbsp. freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly
ground black pepper
METHOD
1. Heat olive oil in saucepan over moderately low heat. Add garlic; sauté gently 5 minutes; do not brown. Remove from heat; add rosemary and wine. Cool slightly. Salt and pepper chicken; place in a lidded non-reactive dish. Cover with 2/3 of the wine mixture; marinate, refrigerated, from 3 to 12 hours. Reserve and refrigerate remaining third of marinade.
2. Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire. Remove chicken from marinade and place on grill. Grill chicken, turning occasionally and basting with reserved marinade, until thickest parts of leg and thigh register 180 degrees (20 to 25 minutes). Serve chicken with Garlic Sauce on the side.
Serves 3 to 4.
GARLIC SAUCE: Combine oils; set aside. Put egg yolk, lemon juice and garlic in work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade or in blender. Process until yolk is pale yellow. With the machine running, slowly add oil to make a mayonnaise, then slowly add the cream. When sauce is thick, transfer it to a bowl and stir in Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours.
Ranchero-Style Steak
Mexican rice, frijoles (pinto beans), warm tortillas or crusty Mexican rolls, and salsa are traditional accompaniments. If green chillies are not available, substitute strips of sweet green pepper.
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 mild green chillies, roasted,
peeled, and cut into strips
(or sweet green pepper)
2 tomatoes, cut into
thin wedges
2 tbsps. chopped
cilantro leaves
2 to 3 lbs. steak (rib eye
or tenderloin)
METHOD
1. Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking, using mesquite charcoal.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet; sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add chillies and tomatoes; sauté briefly until soft. Stir in cilantro; keep warm.
3. When coals are very hot, grill steaks, turning once, until internal temperature registers 145 degrees for medium-rare or 160 degrees for medium (approximately 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on thickness of steak). Serve at once, topped with chilli-tomato mixture.
Serves 6.
Grilled Red Snapper
FOR THE SAUCE:
1/2 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 tbsps. minced Italian parsley
3 tbsps. fresh lemon
(or 1 1/2 lime) juice
METHOD
In a small bowl, blend all the ingredients except the parsley and lemon juice, and allow the sauce to steep while the fish cooks.
FOR THE FISH:
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 whole red snappers, about 1
1/4 lbs. each, gutted and scaled
Lemon (lime) wedges for
garnish
METHOD
In a small bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Ignite charcoal or other appropriate grilling fuel.
Brush fish on both sides with the olive oil mixture and enclose the tails in aluminium foil. When the embers are uniformly grey, place the fish on a lightly oiled grill and brush them once more with the oil mixture. Grill the fish 25 to 35 minutes, turning them once with a spatula and brushing with the remaining oil. Since fish is so sensitive and might break in turning, I strongly recommend the wire mesh grill. (When using a wire mesh grill, heat it over the embers, insert the fish, close the grill, and proceed as above).
When the fish are ready for serving, discard the garlic from the sauce, add the lemon juice and parsley, and whisk the sauce lightly with a fork. Serve the fish with lemon wedges and spoon 1 tablespoon of sauce over each, taking the remainder to the table for discretionary use.
Mesquite-Grilled Seafood
For the tastiest fish tacos you've ever eaten, pile grilled seafood and vegetables into warm corn or flour tortillas. For a milder taste, before threading the chillies onto the skewers, slit them open and scrape out the seeds.
1 1/2 lbs. thick fillets of firm
white-fleshed fish (sea bass,
halibut or cod)
8 to 10 scallops
8 to 10 prawns
Salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
1/4 cup cilantro,
finely chopped
2 scallions (white part only),
finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 to 10 fresh red or green
jalapeno chillies
(or hot peppers)
2 medium zucchini,
cut into 1-inch chunks
Cilantro and lime wedges,
for garnish
METHOD
1. Rinse fish, scallops and prawns under cold running water. Pat dry. Cut fish into
1 1/2-inch cubes. Lightly
sprinkle fish, scallops and prawns with salt.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. In medium bowl, stir together melted butter, olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, green onion and garlic. Add fish and scallops to mixture; place in refrigerator to marinate. After 15 minutes, add prawns to the mixture; marinate 15 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, prepare grill for direct-heat cooking, using mesquite charcoal.
4. Drain marinade; reserve. Thread metal skewers, alternating fish, scallops and prawns with jalapeno chillies and
zucchini.
5. When coals are very hot, grill kebabs 3 to 4 inches above coals, turning after 3 minutes and basting with reserved marinade. Kebabs will need about 5 to 6 minutes total. Serve, garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.
Serves 6 to 8.
Teriyaki Burger
1 lb. ground beef
2 tbsps. soy sauce
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed ginger root
or 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
METHOD
1. Shape ground beef into 4 patties, each about 3/4 inch thick.
2. Mix remaining ingredients; spoon onto patties. Turn patties and let stand 10 minutes.
3. Grill patties about 4 inches from medium coals, turning once until desired doneness, 7 to 8 minutes on each side for medium.
Serve on toasted burger rolls, if desired.
