Outdoor cooking.

Growing up as a child I can remember these great feasts, cooked outdoors in the summer holidays. Rabbit, and chicken barbecued over hot coals, crispy mixed leaf salads, crusty bread all served in the shade of a pine wood. OK so I was with my grandparents in Italy at the time, not in suburban London, there was no worry about the weather and I did get to eat exactly what I wanted but I can still remember it now.

Just after I was married we all returned on a family holiday around the same time of year with the thought of these outdoor cooking feasts in mind, we were not disappointed. It was every bit what I remembered.

Freshly caught Trout cooked outdoors on a pine wood fire, steaks, chickens, quails grilled to perfection over hot coals, crisp mixed leaf salads, olives, wine, cold lager. Perfect.

Ok the UK does suffer worse than most with the weather but this does not need to dampen the spirits. I firmly believe that it possibly is not the weather that makes these feasts, its more the ethic behind it. The meals, in particular the outdoor cooked meals, are eaten in a relaxed way. Meals run into each other, with lunch running into dinner running into supper. The whole day is spent enjoying each others company over a mirriad of outdoor cooked dishes. In the UK we need to learn to relax when we eat, not just shovel the food in as quickly as possible to get on with the next thing.

The recipes given below will be suitable for outdoor cooking but in order to enjoy these feast properly, set a day aside, invite some close friends round or take a tip out to the beach, and learn to relax and enjoy the meal.

Peter Paccagnini…

Please Try one of the recipies below. They are all perfect for an outdoor feast.

• Sardines in Piri Piri
• Barbecued Alaskan Salmon Steaks
• Kebab Feast
• Special Cowboy Ribs