William Penn Life, 2014 (49. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2014-08-01 / 8. szám
with Főszakács Béla BBQ, cookouts & fixins FARADJON BE A MAGYAR KONYHÁBA! Summer greetings from Philadelphia and New Hampshire, my second home, where this column is being written. The 4th of July marks the height of summer. After that, it is all downhill as we finish the month, slide through August and get ready for back to school in September. While the start of school will be here soon enough, there is still plenty of summer left to enjoy great barbecue and grilling in the yard. I am currently enrolled in a fantastic Master Chef BBQ class. Every weekend, my skills improve, as does my knowledge of barbecue techniques and of all the meats you can grill and/or smoke to perfection. Yes, it's a bit late in the summer for a column on BBQ techniques, but next spring I promise to write a two-part series on how to create a great barbecue Magyar style. Here is your trivia question for the month: Who was the first president to host a barbecue at the White House, and how many presidents have hosted formal barbecues since then? The answer is sizzling on the grill! Let's begin by getting a few basic terms straight. First, barbecue is defined variously as a cooking method, as the food cooked using this method, as an apparatus for preparing food outdoors and as a social event with origins from the southern region of the United States. Now, a cookout is a meal or party at which the food is cooked and served outdoors. A cookout may include barbecue, but consists of anything cooked outdoors. By contrast, a barbecue must include meat and the process of cooking known as barbecuing. I mention this because a lot of folks think that grilling hot dogs and hamburgers is a barbecue, when it actually is a cookout. To the barbecue enthusiast, there is a big difference which I will share next year. In the meantime, let me share some concepts on how you can take your barbecue or cookout from being okay to gourmet. For most barbecues and cookouts, meat, fish or poultry serve as the focal point of the meal. However, side dishes, known as "fixins," can make or break your barbecue or cookout. Fixins are the necessary ingredients or appropriate accompaniments that complement the chosen entrée. For example, Hungarian barbecue is more than szalonna (bacon) and rye bread. Chef Vilmos and I have researched all about barbecue and have come to the conclusion it's not just the meat that makes the meal but everything prepared in a way so that every dish compliments the main course and adds to the total experience. The sum of all parts is greater than any one ingredient or dish. When planning the menu for your barbecue or cookout, decide first on a main entrée. Next, decide on what cut of meat you will serve: e.g., whole chicken, chicken breasts, chicken thighs and wings, lamb racks, lamb chops, pork spare ribs, pork chops, rib eye steak or sirloin tips. Then, think of what will complement your choice of entrée. If you're serving flank steak, for example, you might consider mushroom gravy. Your chicken dish might do well with a barbecue sauce. Pork chops or ribs would taste and look appetizing with a glaze. Lamb with rosemary? Scrumptious. Continue this pattern of thinking and build a plate with side dishes that may include salads (both green and protein based), vegetables, grains and pasta. Fresh greens from the garden, with beefsteak or cherry tomatoes, are a great alternative to the traditional cole slaw or potato salad. Macaroni and cheese is tasty when served hot, but served cold, it can also be a refreshing change of pace, especially if the weather is warmer. Rice with grilled veggies-or just grilled veggies at room temperature-make perfect sides. If you must have cole slaw or potato salad, try going on the Internet and finding some unique recipes. I catered a barbecue earlier this summer and served mashed potato salad from a recipe I found online. Put a new twist on your cole slaw by adding broccoli, carrots or seedless cucumbers. Once you have built your plate with all the fixins to make your barbecue a success, complete your menu by selecting a perfect ending to your meal. Consider fresh fruit chilled, strawberry shortcake with freshly whipped cream or a frozen dessert. Once again, check the Internet for distinctive recipes. ÖKÉAugust 2014 0 William Penn Life The Hungarian Kitchen is a trademark of William S. Vasvary.
