The appetizers elbowing their way onto back-yard grills these days are so artful and tasty, they just might push the main course aside–and easing weekend get-togethers. Kebabs of meat, chicken and fish have shed their staid bamboo sticks for more romantic or exotic choices, such as rosemary branches or sugar cane. Quesadillas, grilled breads and even dips are finding their places on the grill alongside more traditional wings, their smoky essence hinting at the flavor of the meal to come.
“The sophistication of grilling has grown enormously,” says cookbook author Steven Raichlen, who includes more than 60 appetizer recipes in his latest book, “BBQ USA” (Workman, $19.95). “It used to be what you grilled was in the center of the plate; now people are grilling the whole plate. A grill is a great place for people to stand around, and it sort of becomes a performance center.”
When he is home, Raichlen prefers tossing nearly everything on the grill. “I serve stuff right off the grill into people’s eager, waiting hands.”
Cooking the entire meal outside also keeps the host out of the hot summer kitchen. “The guests are not wondering where you are; you are there … and you are the star of the show,” he says.
Starters can be simple, such as grilled garlic bread or shrimp wrapped in bacon, while others, such as dips and satays, demand more time and attention. Assembling skewer after skewer can be time-consuming, but the advantage is that the dipping sauces, marinades and fillings can often be prepared a day in advance. Cooks also can incorporate smoky flavors into dishes such as baba ganoush, for example, by grilling the eggplant in advance.
Grilling tips
– Soak skewers in advance to reduce the chances of burning, and use a foil barrier when grilling appetizers. When cooking for large groups of people, par-cook the skewer meat in advance to reduce the grilling time and the chances of burning the skewers.
– Be careful: Food marinated in oil or wrapped in bacon is prone to flare-ups.
– Steven Raichlen suggests creating a three-zone grill:
For charcoal: Rake half of the lighted coals in a double layer to one side of the grill, line up the rest in a single layer in the center, and leave the third zone empty of coals. The first zone is for searing, the second for cooking and the third is a safety zone where you can drag food that starts burning or is finished cooking but needs to stay warm.
For gas: Turn one burner on high heat, then turn one or two on medium heat. Leave the remaining burner turned off. If your grill has only two burners, use the warming rack as your safety zone.
— D.P.S.
Grilled quesadillas
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 4 minutes
Yield: 32 wedges
Adapted from “The Barbecue Bible,” by Steven Raichlen. For lots of heat, include the seeds from the chilies.
1 1/4 cups coarsely grated Jack or sharp white Cheddar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 green onions, white and green parts, trimmed, thinly sliced
1 flame-roasted tomato, see note, seeded, finely diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 to 3 pickled jalapeno chilies, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt, freshly ground pepper
8 flour tortillas
1. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Mix the cheese, sour cream, green onions, tomato, cilantro, chilies and cumin in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
2. When grill is ready, lay 4 tortillas out on work surface; spread evenly with cheese mixture. Press the remaining tortillas on top to make a sandwich. Place on hot grill grate; grill until lightly browned on one side, 2-4 minutes. Turn; brown other side. Cut each quesadilla into 8 wedges to serving.
Note: To flame-roast the tomato, hold it with tongs over a gas flame or hot grill. Roast, turning, until all sides are blistered and starting to blacken in spots.
Nutrition information per serving:
66 calories, 41% of calories from fat, 3 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 5.5 mg cholesterol, 7.3 g carbohydrates, 2.3 g protein, 89 mg sodium, 0.5 g fiber
Coconut curry chicken satay
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Marinating time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 2 minutes
Yield: 36 satays
Adapted from “BBQ USA,” by Steven Raichlen. Use the chili seeds for a hotter satay.
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 piece (1-inch long) ginger root, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 to 2 Thai or other hot chilies, seeded, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon each: coarse salt, freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
3 pounds skinless chicken thighs, or 2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Peanut dipping sauce, see recipe
1. Place the garlic, ginger, chilies, coconut milk, lime juice, curry powder, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor; puree until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of the cilantro; gently pulse to just mix.
2. Cut meat off the bones of the thighs. Cut each thigh into flat strips about 1/8-inch thick, 3 inches long and 1-2 inches wide. For chicken breasts, trim off fat; pull off the tenders, if any. Cut the tendons off the tenders. Cut each tender in half lengthwise; set aside. Thinly slice the chicken breasts, holding your knife on the diagonal and cutting them on the diagonal of the grain to create strips that are about 1/8-inch thick, 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Weave each strip of chicken like a ribbon on each of 36 wooden skewers. The chicken will bunch up as it goes on the skewer; gently spread it out with your fingers.
3. Arrange 12 of the satays in a single layer in a non-reactive baking dish. Pour one-third of the marinade over them, leaving the exposed part of the skewers bare. Turn satays to coat both sides, then arrange 12 more satays on top of first layer. Repeat until all satays are layered and coated. Cover; marinate in the refrigerator 1-2 hours.
4. Prepare grill for high heat. Tear off a piece of heavy-duty foil that is roughly as long as the grill is wide. Fold the foil in half lengthwise; place it on the grate of the grill at the edge closest to you. Arrange the satays on the grate so that they are over the fire but the exposed end of the skewers are resting on the foil shield to keep them from burning. Grill satays until cooked through, 1-2 minutes per side, basting them with oil. Transfer to a platter; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro. Serve with peanut dipping sauce.
Nutrition information per serving:
47 calories, 29% of calories from fat, 1.5 g fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 21 mg cholesterol, 0.2 g carbohydrates, 7.9 g protein, 51 mg sodium, 0.1 g fiber
Peanut dipping sauce
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Yield: About 1 3/4 cups
Adapted from “BBQ USA,” by Steven Raichlen. For a richer sauce, use the half-and-half or coconut milk.
3/4 to 1 cup chicken broth, half-and-half or unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 Thai or serrano chili, seeded, minced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons minced or grated peeled fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1. Place 3/4 cup of the stock in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the peanut butter, garlic, chili, soy sauce, cilantro, sugar, ginger, coriander and pepper; heat to a simmer, whisking as needed to blend. Let sauce simmer, whisking occasionally, until thick, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup broth, if necessary.
2. Taste for seasoning, adding soy sauce, sugar and/or pepper as needed. Serve warm or at room temperature. Sauce will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for several days. Stir to recombine; bring to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition information per 2 tablespoons (using broth):
93 calories, 65% of calories from fat, 7.1 g fat, 1.4 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 4.5 g carbohydrates, 4.2 g protein, 321 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
