Summer Feasting from the Fire E-Book

Valerie Aikman-Smith

• Herausgeber: Ryland Peters & Small
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024

Seitenzahl: 136

Beschreibung

More than 90 recipes in this bumper cookbook will help you celebrate summer with effortless food cooked over fire. Make the most of your time either at the beach, camping or in your own garden with this sunny collection of not-be-missed recipes. Combining fresh flavours with exciting grilling techniques including cooking on a fire pit grill and cedar-plank smoking, Valerie Aikman-Smith presents her recipes for perfect summer food. From delicious seafood including Baja Fish Tacos with Blistered Jalapeños, Grilled Snapper in Banana Leaves and Mezcal Lime Shrimp on Salt Block, to feasts for meat-lovers such as Jerk Pork with Mango Chutney and Grilled Honey Plantains, Portuguese Piri Piri Poussin and an All-American Burger. Valerie also includes fabulous vegetable dishes from Grilled Courgette Flowers with Shiso Lemon Salt to Roasted Cauliflower with Walnut Romesco. Desserts designed to round off an alfresco feast include Matcha Ice Cream with Black Sesame Praline or a classic Grilled Banana Split with Dark Chocolate Sauce. Finally, if all the heat has made you thirsty, try a Basil Aperol Spritz with Flowering Herbs, Sicilian Slush Cocktail or a Watermelon Margarita.

Leseprobe

SUMMER

FEASTING

FROM THE

FIRE

SUMMER

FEASTING

FROM THE

FIRE

RELAXED RECIPES FOR THE BBQ, PLUS SALADS, SIDES, DRINKS & MORE

VALERIE AIKMAN-SMITH

Photography by Erin Kunkel

Senior Designer Toni Kay

Editors Gilliam Haslam and Kate Eddison

Head of Production Patricia Harrington

Creative Director Leslie Harrington

Editorial Director Julia Charles

Food Stylist Valerie-Aikman Smith

Prop Stylists Gena Sigala and Jennifer Barguiarena

Indexer Hilary Bird

First published in 2024 by Ryland Peters & Small

20–21 Jockey’s Fields, London WC1R 4BW

and

341 E 116th St, New York

NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Recipes in this book were previously published in Smoke & Spice, Pickled & Packed and Feast from the Fire.

Text © Valerie Aikman-Smith 2013, 2014, 2018 & 2024. Design and photography © Ryland Peters & Small 2024.

ISBN: 978-1-78879-586-9

E-ISBN: 978-1-78879-628-6

Printed in China

The author’s moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.US Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for.

NOTES:

• American (Imperial plus US cups) and metric measurements are included in these recipes for convenience, however it is important to work with one set of measurements only and not alternate between the 2 within a recipe.

• All spoon measures are level unless otherwise specified.

• Ovens should be preheated to the specified temperatures. If using a fan-assisted oven, adjust temperatures according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

• When a recipe calls for the grated zest of citrus fruit, buy unwaxed fruit and wash well before using. If you can only find treated fruit, scrub well in warm soapy water before using.

SEALING PRESERVES USING THE WATER BATH METHOD

In order to store some of the delicious preserves in this book you must first seal the jars to make them airtight. The water bath method is excellent, safe, and suitable for the simple preserving recipes featured.

Fill a canning kettle or large pot fitted with a metal rack on the bottom, with enough water to cover the jars by 2 inches (5 cm) and bring to a boil.

Pack the vegetables or fruit into sterilized jars leaving space at the top as specified in the recipe. Screw the lids on, wipe the jars clean and, using jar tongs, place them in the water bath. Cover with a lid and once the water has come back to a boil seal for the time specified in the recipe.

Remove the jars from the water bath using jar tongs and transfer to a cooling rack. Leave undisturbed until they have cooled completely—you will hear a pinging sound as each lid seals. Check to make sure that the centre of the lid is concaved. Label and store. Note: If the seal does not work first time you can reseal in the water bath or simply refrigerate.

FOOD SAFETY NOTICE

The information contained within this book is intended as a general guide based on the author’s own recipe development and experience. Although all reasonable care has been taken in the preparation of this book, neither the publishers nor the author can accept any liability for any consequence from the use therefore, or the information contained therein. Please consult an official and up-to-date source on food safety for further information when cooking over fire or preserving at home.

CONTENTS

Introduction

SMALL BITES

MEAT

FISH & SEAFOOD

SALADS & VEGETABLE SIDES

SAVORY TARTS & FLATBREADS

DESSERTS & SWEET BAKES

THE PANTRY

DRINKS

Index

Acknowledgements

INTRODUCTION

What better way to celebrate summer than to enjoy the very best seasonal food cooked over the fire whether at the beach, when camping, or simply relaxing in your own backyard? Incredible flavors, inspiring ingredients, and the epitome of laid-back entertaining—grilling is the best way to cook in the warmer months and here in this inspirational book you’ll discover fish, meat, vegetarian, and vegan recipes to cook and share outdoors.

Combining fresh flavors with exciting grilling techniques, including cooking on a fire pit grill, salt-block cooking, and cedarplank smoking, chef, food stylist, and author Valerie Aikman-Smith presents a collection of recipes perfectly created for relaxed entertaining.

Try delicious fish and seafood recipes including Fish Tacos with Avocado Crema, Spicy Grilled Salmon Collar, Coconut & Lime Shrimp Skewers, and for a special occasion, Grilled Lobster with Flavored Butters. For meat-lovers there’s a host of ideas for grilling your favorite fare such as Jerk Pork Chops with Mango Chutney and Grilled Plantains, Smoky Honey Chipotle Ribs, Sriracha & Lime Grilled Chicken Wings, and the crowd-pleasing Lamb Smash Burgers.

Valerie includes fabulous vegetable dishes inspired by marketfresh produce, from Grilled Summer Zucchini with Basil Salt to Roasted Cauliflower & Red Walnut Romesco, plus a refreshing Ouzo Watermelon Salad for those days when the mercury starts to rise.

Effortlessly elegant sweet things designed to round off an alfresco feast include Matcha Ice Cream with Black Sesame Praline, Roasted Strawberry & Ginger Semifreddo, Vin Santo Grilled Peaches, or a classic Grilled Banana Boat.

Finally, if all the heat has made you thirsty, sip on an Apricot & Basil Mimosa and cool down with a Grilled Pineapple Piña Colada, or make up a pitcher of Watermelon Margaritas.

Throughout this book, Valerie draws on her experiences of traveling and cooking in various countries around the world, and shows how simple ingredients can be elevated to a sophisticated level. Whether you are cooking a simple midweek supper in your backyard or preparing an outdoor feast for a special occasion, in these pages you will find the perfect dish to suit your summer mood.

SMALL BITES

EMPANADAS

These delicious pastry parcels are fantastic to hand round at barbecues and parties. Serve with any smoky and hot sauce or relish for dipping.

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ white onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 jalapeño chile/chilli, finely diced

8 oz./225 g ground/minced beef

2 teaspoons dried marjoram

2 teaspoons dried oregano

¼ cup/60 ml Provençal Olive Relish (see page 165)

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

½ cup/125 ml red wine

1 lb./450 g shortcrust pastry

1 egg, lightly beaten

sea salt and cracked black pepper

all-purpose/plain flour, for dusting

hot sauce or relish, to serve

a 3½ -inch/9-cm cookie cutter

a baking sheet lined with baking parchment

MAKES 28

Preheat the oven to 425°F (210°C) Gas 7.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet/frying pan over medium–high heat, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño, and cook for 5 minutes until golden brown. Add the beef, marjoram, oregano, Provençal Olive Relish, and paprika, and stir. Pour in the wine and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, remove the pan from the heat, and set aside to cool.

Roll out the pastry as thinly as possible on a lightly floured surface, and cut rounds of pastry with the cookie cutter. Gather the leftover pastry and repeat until all the pastry is used up. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the middle of each round. Fold over and seal the edges with a fork. Place on the baking sheet and brush with beaten egg.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle with sea salt and serve with a hot sauce or relish of your choice.

RILLETTES

WITH GARDEN PATCH PICKLES

Rillettes are not just for the cold winter months or the holidays. A great year-round pantry staple for easy entertaining, just serve with pickles, crusty bread, and wine. The meat is braised in the oven for a deep flavor.

2 lb./900 g pork belly, skin off

1 lb./450 g pork shoulder, skin off

¼ cup/60 ml brandy

4 garlic cloves, peeled and bashed

1 tablespoon green peppercorns

4 bay leaves, plus extra to garnish

1 rosemary sprig

6 thyme sprigs

1 tablespoon allspice

peel from 1 small orange

1 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra to taste

½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

melted butter, to seal

TO SERVE

Garden Patch Pickles (see page 166)

sliced ciabatta bread

5-quart/5.5-litre cast-iron pan with a tight-fitting lid

4 individual serving dishes or sterilized glass jars with airtight lids

SERVES 4

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C) Gas 3.

Roughly cut the pork belly and shoulder into 2-inch/5-cm pieces and place in the cast-iron pan.

Add the brandy, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, allspice, orange peel, salt, and pepper. Pour over 4 cups/950 ml cold water, making sure the meat is covered. Stir, cover, and cook in the preheated oven for 4 hours.

Remove the pork from the oven and drain into a colander set over a bowl to catch the cooking juices. Remove the herbs and peel and return the pork to the pan. Gently shred the pork using two forks. Add ⅔ cup/150 ml of the reserved cooking juices and stir. Adjust the seasoning to taste and stir again to mix well.

Spoon the shredded pork into individual serving dishes or sterilized, size-appropriate glass jars and place a bay leaf on top. Let cool a little, then pour over enough melted butter to make a ½-inch/1-cm seal in serving dishes or a 1-inch/2.5-cm seal in jars. Screw the lids on tightly or cover with foil and refrigerate for 2 days before eating.

Serve with Garden Patch Pickles and sliced fresh bread.

COOKS’ NOTE: You can also seal the rillettes with pork fat or duck fat in place of the melted butter. Jars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

CRISPY PORK BELLY BLUE CORN TACOS

These are the most delicious tacos imaginable—slivers of crispy grilled pork belly wrapped in a blue corn tortilla and topped with an array of veggies. Hit it with freshly squeezed lime and hot sauce and enjoy with a frosty beer. If you can’t find blue corn tortillas, use corn or flour.

2 lb./900 g pork belly, skin off

2 bay leaves

¼ cup/60 ml white wine

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

7-oz/198-g can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

12 blue corn tortillas

yellow corn oil or vegetable oil, for brushing the grate

TO SERVE

lime wedges, lettuce, tomatoes, radishes, onions, cilantro/coriander, queso fresco, and hot sauces

SERVES 6

Place the pork in a lidded pan and add the bay leaves, white wine, salt, and peppercorns. Pour in enough cold water (about 2 quarts/2 litres) to cover the pork by 2 inches/5 cm. Cover and bring to the boil over medium–high heat, then reduce the heat and let the pork simmer for 1½ hours.

Place the chipotle peppers, along with the sauce, in a bowl and mash with a fork. Set aside.

Remove the pork from the pan and place on a cutting board. Cover and let it rest and cool for 10 minutes.

Heat the grill/barbecue to medium–high. Brush the grate with oil.

Slice the pork 1½ inches/4 cm thick. Using a pastry brush, coat both sides of the pork slices with a little of the chipotle mix. Place the pork on the grill and cook for 2 minutes. Using tongs, turn the slices over and cook for another 2–3 minutes until crispy and slightly charred. Remove and place on a large platter.

Place the tortillas on the grill and cook for a minute on each side. Remove to a plate.

Serve with the lime wedges, toppings, and hot sauces and have your guests build their own tacos.

FISH TACOS

WITH AVOCADO CREMA

Tacos are a staple of Californian fast food. The streets of LA are full of vendors with small carts selling all kinds of imaginative tacos bursting with grilled meats, fish, vegetables, and cactus, and drizzled with exotic hot sauces and cooling cremas. Grill at home and adorn your table with colorful bowls of pickles, sauces, cheeses, and grilled vegetables to pile on to warm tortillas.

1 lb./450 g snapper, tilapia, or cod fillets

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil

grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 3 limes

1 avocado, pitted and peeled

1 cup/225 g Mexican crema or crème fraîche

small bunch of cilantro/coriander

12 jalapeño chiles/chillies

12 corn or flour tortillas

sea salt and cracked black pepper

yellow corn oil or vegetable oil, for brushing the grate

TO SERVE

lime wedges, radishes, pickled onions, cilantro/coriander, queso fresco, and hot sauces

SERVES 6

Place the fish in a ceramic baking dish. In a small bowl whisk together the chili powder, oil, half the lime zest, and half the juice, and pour over the fish. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and set aside for 20 minutes.

Place the avocado, crema, remaining lime zest and juice, and cilantro/coriander in a blender and purée until you have a smooth sauce. Pour into a bowl, season with salt, and set aside.

Heat the grill/barbecue to medium–high. Brush the grate with oil.

Grill the jalapeños for about 4 minutes until blistered and charred, then remove to a serving bowl.

Place the fish on the grill and cook for 3–4 minutes. Using a wide spatula, turn the fish over and cook for another 3–4 minutes until it is cooked through and slightly charred. Cooking times may differ depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove to a warm plate and tent with foil.

Grill the tortillas for a minute on each side until warmed through and remove to a plate.

Flake the fish into large chunks with a fork and place on a platter along with the grilled jalapeños, tortillas, and avocado crema. Serve bowls of radishes, pickled onions, cilantro/coriander, queso fresco, and hot sauces and invite your guests to build their own taco.

WEST COAST CRAB CAKES

Crab cakes are best when made with fresh crab meat. If it is not in season, buy good-quality canned crab meat. Pickled Makrut Limes (see page 170) spice up the cakes and make them an enjoyable feast. Serve with herbed yogurt and citrus wedges for extra zing.

1 lb./450 g fresh crab meat

grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

¾ cup/110 g fresh corn kernels

2 scallions/spring onions, finely chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 jalapeño chile/chilli, finely chopped

1½ tablespoons Pickled Makrut Limes (see page 170), finely chopped

sea salt and cracked black pepper

vegetable oil, for frying

COATING

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cups/100 g fresh or Panko breadcrumbs

TO SERVE

lime wedges, natural set yogurt, and freshly chopped green herbs

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 12

Mix together the crab meat, lemon zest and juice, corn, scallions/spring onions, egg, chile, and Pickled Makrut Limes in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

For the coating, put the egg in a small, shallow bowl and the breadcrumbs on a plate. Shape a large tablespoon of the crab mixture into a cake with your hands. Dip it into the egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Set aside and repeat with all the crab mixture.

Heat a skillet/frying pan over medium–high heat and drizzle with a little vegetable oil. Working in batches, sauté the crab cakes for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown, crispy, and cooked through.

Transfer to a warm serving platter and serve with a squeeze of fresh lime and a bowl of thick, creamy natural yogurt sprinkled with chopped green herbs.

SOUTHERN SHRIMP HUSHPUPPIES

WITH CORN & POBLANO RELISH

These are named after the tidbits hunters carry to hush their dogs while hunting. This is a much more glamorous version—I’m sure hunters would not go to all the expense and trouble of putting corn or shrimp/prawns in theirs. You will, however, be speechless eating them. I like to serve these with a delicious Corn & Poblano Relish—see page 165 for the recipe.

1 cup/150 g cornmeal

2 tablespoons all-purpose/plain flour

¼ teaspoon baking soda/bicarbonate of soda

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon kosher/rock salt

½ teaspoon ground white pepper

¾ cup/180 ml buttermilk

1 egg, lightly beaten

8 oz./225 g shrimp/prawns, deveined

1 cup/140 g fresh corn kernels

2 scallions/spring onions, thinly sliced

1 jalapeño chile/chilli, finely chopped

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

TO SERVE

sea salt

Corn & Poblano Relish (see page 165)

an oil-resistant thermometer

MAKES APPROXIMATELY 20

Place the cornmeal, flour, baking soda/bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and mix together. Pour in the buttermilk and egg and mix together. Add the shrimp/prawns, corn kernels, scallions/spring onions, and jalapeño and mix well to combine all the ingredients.

Place a deep skillet/frying pan over medium–high heat and add enough oil to come three-quarters of the way up the pan. Heat the oil to 365°F (185°C). Using a small ice-cream scoop, and working in batches, drop the hushpuppies into the hot fat. Deep-fry for 5 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Transfer each batch to a warm serving plate.

Sprinkle with coarse sea salt and serve with Corn & Poblano Relish.

SQUASH BLOSSOM & CORN QUESADILLAS