They like it hot in the tropics — the food, if not the drinks. So with Chicago going through its annual equatorial weather phase, let me propose a pair of spicy dishes for a casual dinner party that involves barbecue cooking. Accompany them with a Provencal version of French potato salad.
I’ve selected the recipes to showcase three of the most welcome of this summer’s crop of new cookbooks. They are Steven Raichlin’s monumental “The Barbecue Bible” (Workman, $18.95 paperback), a tour of the world of barbecue; “Vegetables” (Morrow, $35), by the much admired research chef James Peterson; and the charming, small “Zucchini, Pumpkins & Squash” (Chronicle Books, $10.95), by Kathleen Desmond Stang.
For your party, if cocktails are in order, mix up a batch of something decadent such as planter’s punch. If wine, try a rose or white zinfandel from the California winery Montevina. If beer, buy some Red Stripe from Jamaica. Keep dessert simple: Ripe melon or a mixture of two or three fruit sorbets will do.
Now, aprons on and light your grills.
GRILLED GREEN AND GOLD ZUCCHINI, SANTA FE STYLE
Four to six servings
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 pound green zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/4- to 1/2-inch strips
1 pound yellow zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/4- to 1/2-inch strips
1 large red bell pepper, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips
1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper in a large, shallow dish. Add the vegetables and turn to coat. Marinate for 1 to 4 hours, turning occasionally.
2. Prepare the grill (or an oven broiler).
3. Grill over medium-hot coals, 4 to 6 inches from the heat, basting and turning once, until the squash is tender and streaked with brown, about 10 minutes total. Serve hot or at room temperature.
— From “Zucchini, Pumpkins & Squash”
PLANTATION SHRIMP
Four servings
For the shrimp and marinade:
24 extra-large shrimp (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 Scotch bonnet chile or 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 piece (12 inches) fresh sugar cane
For the rum glaze:
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon dark rum
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1. Rinse the shrimp under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Set aside while you prepare the marinade.
2. Combine the garlic, scallions, ginger, chile, soy sauce, honey and peanut oil in a large bowl and whisk to mix. Add the shrimp, tossing to coat. Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 1 hour.
3. Preheat the grill to high.
4. While the shrimp marinates, prepare the sugar cane skewers. Peel the piece of sugar cane, using a sharp knife, then cut crosswise into 3-inch sections. Cut each section into 8 lengthwise strips, each about 1/4 inch wide (this will make 24 strips in all). Cut one end off each strip at an angle to make a sharp point. Set aside while you prepare the glaze.
5. Combine the 1/3 cup rum, the tomato paste, sugar, honey, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, allspice and cloves in a small, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until blended and the sugar is melted. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer to a syrupy glaze, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon rum, and taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as necessary.
6. Remove the shrimp from the bowl and make a “starter” hole through the center of each with a metal skewer, since the sugar cane strips are not stiff enough. Thread the shrimp on the cane strips, starting with the pointed end, 1 shrimp to each.
7. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Arrange the shrimp on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until nicely browned on the outside and firm and pink inside, about 2 minutes per side. Brush the shrimp with glaze as they cook.
8. Transfer the shrimp to serving plates or a platter and serve immediately. Bite into the cane to taste the sweetness, but do not eat it.
— Adapted from “The Barbecue Bible”
FRENCH POTATO SALAD
Six servings
2 pounds large Yukon gold or red or white waxy potatoes
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1/4 cup good quality white wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 shallots, minced
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley (preferably Italian variety)
Freshly ground black pepper
12 anchovy fillets, or to taste
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped imported black or green olives
Salt to taste, if desired
1. Put the potatoes in a 4-quart pot and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and then turn the heat down to maintain at a gentle simmer. Simmer gently for about 25 minutes until the potatoes can easily be penetrated with a paring knife or skewer but still offer a little resistance. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let cool for about 10 minutes to make them easier to handle.
2. Peel the potatoes by holding them in one hand with a towel and pulling off the peel in long strips with a paring knife. Whisk together the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and layer them in a square or oval baking dish large enough to hold the potatoes in about 4 layers. Sprinkle each layer with a quarter of the dressing mixture and optional salt.
4. Serve at room temperature or slightly cooler but not directly out of the refrigerator.
— Adapted from “Vegetables”
