Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Food, glorious food

They do barbecue in the British Isles. They admit to some of the same problems that Oregon has – in particular, the weather. And of course, technique is always an issue.

I used to hate barbecues. It was the inevitability factor. You knew there would be chops, ribs and sausages with rice and pasta salad. The men, armed with barbecue tongs and unmanly aprons, would drink copious amounts of beer while sharing tales of derring-do on the golf course. The women would eat too many crisps and drink too much wine while waiting. Because, no matter how well planned the great British barbecue was, we never seemed to get it quite right. The fire was never lit in time, the chicken was black on the outside and raw on the inside, and the rain stayed away until just before the first prawn was thrown on the coals.

...recipes in full post...

SAUSAGES WITH FRESH PEA SALSA VERDE Serves six • 300g frozen petits pois (or 900g fresh pea pods) • 20g mint • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped • 2 tbsp capers • juice and zest of one small lemon • 1 tsp Dijon mustard • 6 tbsp (approx) extra-virgin olive oil • 2 dozen quality sausages If you are using fresh peas, remove them from the pods. Whether they are fresh or frozen, cook them until tender but still vivid green, and then drain and run under cold tap water (this will retain the colour). Pat thoroughly dry. Put the peas into a blender with the mint, garlic, capers, lemon zest and juice and mustard. Process until combined and then add enough oil to form a coarse paste. Season to taste. Barbecue the sausages and serve with a dollop of salsa verde.
MUSHROOM AND HALLOUMI KEBABS ON ROSEMARY SKEWERS Serves six • 250g pack of halloumi • 250g small button or chestnut mushrooms, wiped • 3 tbsp olive oil • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed • juice of one lemon • 2 tbsp chopped rosemary leaves • 5-6 sturdy rosemary skewers Cut the halloumi into large cubes - about 4cm or 1.5in - and place in a bowl with the mushrooms. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix together, then leave to marinate for about an hour. Thread the cheese and the mushrooms onto the skewers, starting and ending with a mushroom. Barbecue for eight to ten minutes until the mushrooms are tender and the cheese is golden brown. Serve warm with pitta bread.
VIETNAMESE PRAWNS WITH LEMON GRASS This recipe is taken from Ghillie Basan's excellent book Vietnamese (Aquamarine, £20). Serves six • 16-18 king prawns, cleaned with shells intact • 120ml nuoc mam (fish sauce) • 2 tbsp sugar • 15ml sesame oil • 3 lemon grass stalks, trimmed and finely chopped Using the point of a sharp knife, carefully slice open each prawn shell along the back and pull out the black vein without removing the shell. Try to keep the rest of the shell intact. Place the de-veined prawns in a shallow dish and set aside. Put the nuoc mam in a small bowl with the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Then add the oil and lemon grass and mix well. Pour the marinade over the prawns and then rub it in well with your hands. Cover and chill for at least four hours. Barbecue the prawns for two to three minutes on each side. Serve with bowls of water for rinsing sticky fingers.

No comments: