Grills and Barbecues

Early man realized that cooking food make poisonous roots and plants edible, tough parts of meat tender and other foods sweet and juicy. Today we seem quite happy to stand there red-faced, in front of an open flame offering up prime cuts of scorched meat to our guests. The modern homo sapiens are no longer the hunters but casually clad with an apron, standing in front of the grill - a sight to behold.

Europeans view the barbecue as an extension of their indoor kitchen. They tend to use the most complicated recipes or stick mostly to pre-arranged gatherings using ready-made foods to barbecue in their back yards.

In North American a barbecue is an occasion for a back yard party. In the South huge cookouts take place with whole pigs and humongous steaks roasted over oil-drum-sized barbecues or open fires. For many barbecues, charcoal is a popular choice as well as the gas barbecue. The connoisseur chooses hard woods such as hickory, apple, beech or maple for the perfect barbie.

You may be thinking of having a barbecue or cookout but have too much to do - the garden needs work, the car needs to be washed, the dog needs a walk, the children want to go to the park or pool. Who has time for a barbecue? When there is so much going on this summer, why add to the activities?

A barbecue can be a relaxing and fun occasion. Be a little spontaneous and invite people when the weather is good. Invite four couples the day before or a few hours before the barbecue to give people a little time to prepare. Too often when you invite people 2-3 weeks ahead of time, the weather may not be suitable for a garden party. Invite people to contribute to the barbecue. If you invite four couples, you might try the following:

First Couple Have this couple bring the potatoes which have been cooked until almost done; four red bell (capsicum) peppers, washed, seeds removed and cut in half; a bag of cooked rice; fresh herbs, washed and chopped; egg plant (aubergine) sliced thickly, brushed with olive oil and fresh lemon, sprinkled with salt and pepper and marinated a couple of hours.

Fill the red peppers with the rice and herb mixture, drizzle a little olive oil over the filling and place the peppers skin side down on the barbecue.

Second Couple Have the second couple bring the ingredients for a simple, fresh summer salad. The salad could include lettuce or a mixture of lettuce types, pine nuts, sun-dried cranberries as well as the usual tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs, and the salad dressing.

This couple can also bring 6-9 slices of 1-inch (2-3 cm) thick salmon steaks.

Third Couple This couple can bring the meat which could be either pork or beef. The pieces should be small or thin and easy to grill. Have these people also bring the onions, mushrooms and zucchini for the skewers. These vegetables should be washed and cut into large chunks which fit on a skewer.

As a starter have them bring pitted prunes and sliced bacon. The bacon is wrapped around the prunes, a toothpick is stuck through the bacon and prune to hold it together and grilled until the bacon is crisp. If children attend the barbecue, small cocktail sausages wrapped with bacon can be grilled until the bacon is crisp.

Fourth Couple This couple can provide meat for the children who usually prefer chicken such as drumsticks. This couple can also bring the dessert. The dessert can be very simple - bananas which can be cut in half lengthwise, and sprinkled with chopped nuts (e.g. walnuts) and powdered sugar. You can place the bananas skin-side down on the grill then serve them with ice cream.

It is important that a grill or barbecue proceeds in an appropriate order. Begin with the potatoes, then continue with the chicken. Last, barbecue the beef and/or veal. The very last item should be the fish which is best barbecued with a little oil and wrapped in foil.

If you have not marinated the meat, fish or vegetables, you need to brush them with a little oil, either a good olive oil or barbecue oil. Corn oil is good for barbecuing as it does not have such a strong flavor.

Be sure to use fresh or washed platters or plates on which to place the barbecued foods. You should never put the barbecued foods back on the same dishes on which you had them raw.

To create a little festive atmosphere, decorate the table and garden. Do not use your best dishes, but use plates with a little color or decorative design accompanied by colorful and matching napkins (serviettes) and candles in small containers, hurricane or wind glasses; these prevent the candles from flickering or being blown out by gusts of wind. A colorful or decorative table cloth is not essential but definitely welcome unless you have place mats which fit in nicely. If you have children, a wax table cloth or cotton table cloth with a permanent coating is an easy remedy for spills and messes. There are many paper table cloths available which can be reused or discarded after the barbecue. Lights can be hung in the trees, shrubs and in other strategic places, but be careful not to start a blaze! There are many candle holders available which can be hung or set on the table and ground to illuminate the summer evenings. Light up, eat up and enjoy yourselves.

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