No nonsense on the grill
Fired Up - Ross Dobson
Louise Johnson
Fired Up - No nonsense Barbecuing by Ross Dobson
It was a good day when Fired Up by Ross Dobson arrived at our door. A very good day. My husband rubbed his hands together with glee as he imagined the kudos coming as he and his mates gathered at the barbecue this summer.
My husband, and his father, take pride in their barbecue skills. I have seen them shoulder aside less confident barbecue cooks and take control of the grill. They take pride in their ability to deliver all cuts of meat, including those "insipid" vegetarian options, perfectly cooked and in syncronisation to their waiting diners.
I have come to respect their domination at the grill and understand that while they take full responsibility for the delivery of the meal, their job is the cooking only, and the preparation is out of their hands. So my husband was most interested in the pictures and the potential of Fired Up and not so fussed about the details.
As playmaker in this strange male domain I have a deeper appreciation for what Ross has achieved here. As a New Zealander my grasp of the traditions of barbecueing is limited. At the risk of having to hand back my passport I must say that generally it's too cold, where I come from in the lower south island at least, to cook your food outside. You'd have to be a crazy Aussie to do that!
The way Australians barbecue is unique and reflective of the style of cooking and eating in this country. "I think we do prefer to throw a prawn on the barbie rather than stand around for hours on end basting some huge unidentifiable piece of meat that will just end up shredded and in an sandwich," says Ross in his chapter on barbecuing essentials.
The North Americans, the other great lovers of barbecue, are masters at slow cooking outdoors, "the Australian way of barbecuing is really all about simplicity".
Fired Up is split into chapters based on the type of meat you like to cook.
Bird covers everything from sweet honey hoi sin chicken wings, to full roasts, quail and my personal favourite, the beer can roast. If you don't have a fancy-pants rotisserie then Ross suggests using whatever is on hand to get your bird off the hot plate and at almost every Australian barbecue there is good supply of beer cans available.
"The obvious advantages of beer-can chook are twofold," says Ross. "Sitting the chidken on the can keeps the bird up off the hotplate and meanwhile the beer itself slowly boils, steaming the inside of the chicken. The result is a perfectly roasted, moist and tender chicken." And, I would suggest, a great conversation around the dinner table.
The Beast chapter takes on beef, pork and lamb. Our personal favourite in the book has been the veal cutlets with herbs and prosciutto. A simple take on veal saltimbocca, ingredients are quick and easy for the playmaker to prepare and a dazzling success for the chef.
Fish covers all creatures of the sea in what can be most challenging element of barbecuing. Seafood needs such little time on the heat and often suffers from overcooking (luckily I have a skilled chef on my grill). Ross presents some really creative ways to prepare and cook fish, using backing paper between the hotplate and the fish in many recipes to stop inevitable sticking and wrapping whole fish and creating flavoursome parcels to infuse flavours.
Finally, the Sides chapter, which is something my husband has no interest in at all other than ensuring that I have them on the table by the time he has worked his magic. Easy salads, sauces and some hotplate sides such as a chilli bacon fried rice, which may stretch the capacity of our four burner.
Fired Up offers a new dimension to cooking in the backyard and may even inspire involvement in the preparation stages. It certainly adds to my enjoyment as playmaker. Once the game is set my role is simply to pour some wine, sit back and enjoy the show and the meal.
Fired Up by Ross Dobson is published by Murdoch Books (August 2008). RRP A$34.95
VisitVineyards and Winepros members and subscribers can buy Fired Up through our online book partner Seekbooks at a 12.5 percent discount on the RRP, plus postage.
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