Summer Cooking [antikvár]

INTRODUCTIONWarm, hazy days and long tranquil evenings herald the arrival of summer, bringing with it a new season of relaxed, al fresco eating. Summer provides an abundance of colourful and delicious ingredients to inspire the cook, and the hearty stews and roasts of winter are forgottén in favour of lunches in the garden and the delightsof picnics and barbecues.The growing popularity of barbecues means that almost every household indulges in the yearly ritual of producing the barbecue at the first hint of sun. Barbecued food has a unique taste which endears it to all age groups - children love the fun of chicken drumsticks and kebabs, whilst adults can enjoy the unique taste of dishes such as Orange Grilled Duck or Javanese Pork. There is no reason why the barbecue cannot progress to being more than just a celebration of the sausage and burger! Cooking exciting food on a barbecue is somethinganyone can learn and adapt to their own tastes.The huge rangé of barbecues available means that cooking times for barbecued foods cannot be very exact. There is room for variation depending on the type of grill and source ofheat. For grills without adjustable shelves, results are better if the food is cooked in the oven for about half to three-quarters of the cooking time and the remaining time on the barbecue grill for colour and flavour. Similarly, larger cuts of meat such as Butterflied Lamb will cook faster and be juicier if pre-cooked in the oven. In fact, employ this method with any food cooked for a large group and you will avoid the problem of eating in shifts. The use of the barbecue for grilling vegetables is often overlooked. Barbecued vegetables such as Grilled Fennel or Courgette, Pepper and Onion Kebabs aredelicious and are sure to impress your guests.Salads are the natural choice for outdoor meals. Summer salads are light, colourful and full of goodness and within these pages you will find an enticing rangé of recipes írom main course salads such as Hungárián Sausage Salad, to the perfect side salads for barbecued meats. The addition of the unusual ingredient can lift any salad out of the ordinary, consequently the days of the simple lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad are numbered.The warm summer months mean smaller appetites and lighter more delicate foods, and one of the great delights of entertaining during this time of the year is the way in which convention can be thrown to the wind. Summer eating means a whole rangé of appetizers, dips, salads and vegetables can be joined together in one enticing, nutritious feast. Cold soups in particular are a delightfully refreshing start to a meal and many only need thebriefest preparation, Avocado Cream Soup is a perfect example.The ultimate summer delight often comes in the shape of a dessert. A whole array of delightful fruits are at their best in the summer and can be utilized in a wondrous array of delectable desserts. Ice creams and sörbets are alsó at their most tempting on warm nights and are the perfect finale for a barbecue or sophisticatedmain course salad.Summer is the perfect time for entertaining, and large numbers of guests are often best catered for by an enticing array of party snacks. These can very often be prepared in advance and offer unlimited opportunities for the ingenious use of a whole rangé of ingredients. Gone are the days of cocktail sticks, vol-au-vents and sausage rolls, now you can replace them with a tempting spread, including Avocado Cheese Balls, Smoked Salmon Flowers, StuffedMushrooms and Chinese Melón, to name but afew. Summer Cooking alsó features asectionon mocktails, which give all the taste of a cocktail without the alcohol. These drinks are perfect for summer entertaining andare especially appreciated by guests who drive!Summer Cooking offers endless scope for every cook and with an enticing rangé of recipes to suit all occasions you will have the means to create the most delicious of summer feasts.