My neighbours' barbecue involves bicycle cogs, a motorbike chain and a windscreen-wiper motor.
At this time of the year, the air at my house becomes heavy with fragrant smoke from my Greek Cypriot neighbours’ barbecue. Consisting of a rickety, deep metal box in which white-hot charcoal embers fiercely smoulder, it is like nothing I have ever seen before. Across the top lie six long skewers that gently rotate on a system of old bicycle cogs turned by a motorbike chain that is in turn powered by the windscreen-wiper motor from an old Toyota Corolla.
As the juices from the slowly rotating meats hit the embers, clouds of scented smoke rise and drift across the garden, carrying the heady aromas of the herbs that are being used to baste the meats. Thick stems of rosemary and bay leaves are dipped in olive oil and brushed across the skewered meats, imparting robust flavours. A frightening amount of salt is used as seasoning, yet the cooked food never tastes salty.
The grilled quail and crispy-skinned spatchcocked chickens do bring on a -certain primal greed, but it’s not just meat that is cooked like this – mixed skewers of zucchini, capsicums, mushrooms and aubergines also get their turn. They arrive slightly blackened and need nothing more than a lick of olive oil and a handful of torn basil leaves to make a simple salad.
Not having a wood-fired barbecue, I cook my versions of these dishes over the grill bars of a gas barbecue, and although the food lacks the distinctive flavour that comes from charcoal embers, the heat is more controllable. I must confess, though, to having a certain amount of barbecue envy.
If available, use the small, plump chickens called “poussins” for this recipe.
Spatchcock Chicken with Lemon Sauce and Green Beans
1 chicken or 2 poussins
2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ideally you would ask your butcher to spatchcock your chicken, but if that’s not an option, it’s easy enough to do it yourself. Take some strong kitchen scissors and cut down either side of the backbone, then remove it (you may need to use a heavy knife to cut through the thigh joints). Use your palm to push firmly down on the breastbone to flatten the bird out, then rinse it and pat dry. Place the chicken in a shallow dish, then pour the oil, garlic and lemon juice over it. Season generously with salt and pepper, then toss the chicken around in the marinade, massaging the oil into the skin. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Heat the barbecue to hot, then lower the heat if you can. Place the chicken on it skin-side down, then cook until golden, but not burnt – about 10-12 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook the other side for 10-12 minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper and brushing regularly with leftover marinade. Once the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a chopping board and divide into 8 pieces by cutting through the thighs, legs and breasts.
Lemon Sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 spring onions, finely sliced
4 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
300g green beans, cut into 3cm long pieces
100ml chicken stock
100ml sake (optional, but I like the taste)
½ cup lemon juice
2 tbsp honey
6 leaves basil, shredded
Heat the oil in a frying pan, then cook the ginger, garlic, spring onions, peanuts and beans for 2 minutes. Add the stock, sake, lemon juice and honey, then cook until a sauce forms and the beans are tender. Sprinkle with the basil leaves, then serve with the chicken.
Serves 4.
Sucking the meat from the bones is half the enjoyment of eating plump quail – the other half is licking your fingers afterwards.
Barbecued Quail with Grilled Corn and Barbecue Sauce
2 sweetcorn cobs in the husk
oil for coating the corn
4 quails
170g unsalted butter
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
a small handful of basil leaves, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then drop in the corn cobs, still in their husks, and cook for 2 minutes. Drain, then rub the cobs with the oil and place them on a barbecue grill to cook for 12-15 minutes, turning them as they brown. Meanwhile, lightly season the quail and grill over the barbecue for 3-4 minutes on each side. The meat will be golden brown and slightly charred but still pink. Keep warm until ready to serve. Remove the corn from the heat, then cool slightly before peeling off the husks. While the corn cools, melt the butter in a small saucepan with the lime or lemon juice and basil, then season with salt and pepper before spooning over the corn. Place the quails on a platter, spoon the barbecue sauce over them and place the corn at the side.
Serves 4.
This barbecue sauce recipe seems complex, but is worth the effort because it is economical and lasts for months in the fridge. The sauce goes well with any barbecued meat and is seriously addictive. Why wouldn’t you want to make it?
Barbecue Sauce
1½ tsp sesame oil
1 red onion, chopped
3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 cup orange juice
1 tsp chilli paste
2 tbsp honey
½ cup tomato juice
75ml balsamic vinegar
1 cup plum sauce
½ cup hoisin sauce
½ cup worcestershire sauce
1½ tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
70g lemon grass, chopped
100g brown sugar
½ tsp paprika
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan, then add the onion and cook until lightly coloured. Add the ginger, then cook until fragrant – about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, then cook for 20 minutes. Strain the sauce, then cook for 20 minutes.
Makes enough for 8.