Smoke, baste and grill: Barbecue options galore

With Memorial Day Weekend less than a week away, it’s time to start

planning for that patio party, beachside grill or family day in the

park.

The approach of summer reminds us of all that great outdoor eating

and the challenges it offers. Grilling and barbecuing offer up some

of the most wonderful meat and vegetable dishes, and with just a

little planning, it can taste great without a great deal of fuss.

The library has some terrific new books on outdoor cooking.

“Bobby Flay’s Boy Gets Grill: 125 Ways to Light Your Fire” is

written by the star of the Food Network program “Boy Meets Grill.”

The flamboyant Flay offers up some extraordinarily simple ways to put

an international twist on the regular old barbecue. Adding grilled

corn to the guacamole, or being generous with the feta or blue cheese

are easy ways to make a simple grilled menu something more than

ordinary. His complete menu suggestions are also very helpful.

Picking up “Paul Kirk’s Championship Barbecue: Barbecue Your Way

to Greatness with 575 Lip-Smackin’ Recipes from the Baron of

Barbecue” puts you in the mind of the celebrity chef with the

expertise of the competition barbecuer. Kirk’s book gives more than

recipes because he concentrates on the technique of cooking and the

choice of the ingredients. Along the way, you get some of the most

scrumptious marinades, rubs, sauces and slathers for your smoked

food.

Though the concept of the book is that he is training the reader

for championship barbecuing, it is really meant as a guide to the

principles of grilling that produce fantastic food.

“BBQ USA: 425 Fiery Recipes from All Across America,” by “Barbecue

Bible” author Steve Raichlen, explores barbecue recipes from all 50

states, plus Puerto Rico and Canada. Relying on regional foods and

recipes, it covers Hawaiian grilled pineapple, Wisconsin kielbasa,

and Vermont maple-flavored marinades. It provides great recipes if

you are entertaining out of towners or if you’re planning an

All-American extravaganza for the Fourth of July.

On the more challenging side is “High Heat: Grilling and Roasting

Year-Round with Master Chef Waldy Malouf.” The chef of New York’s

Beacon Restaurant and formerly of the Rainbow Room, Malouf presents

125 recipes that are a little more complex than your basic

barbecuing. The wonderful features of this book (besides the fabulous

recipes), though, are his instructions on how to take all the recipes

indoors to prepare in the oven broiler when the weather isn’t quite

so nice.

Of course, this is just a tiny sample of barbecuing books

available. Basic books and specialty books abound. There is Andrea

Chesman’s “The Vegetarian Grill: 200 Recipes for Inspired

Flame-Kissed Meals;” or “Fish Grilled and Smoked: 150 Recipes for

Cooking Rich, Flavorful Fish on the Backyard Grill, Streamside, or in

a Home Smoker” by John Manikowski; or Cheryl Alters Jamison’s

“Chicken on the Grill: 100 Surefire Ways to Grill Perfect Chicken

Every Time.”

For even more variety, cookbooks such as Su-mei Yu’s “Asian

Grilling: 85 Satay, Kebabs, Skewers and Other Asian-Inspired Recipes

for Your Barbecue” and Micol Negrin’s “The Italian Grill: Fresh Ideas

to Fire Up Your Outdoor Cooking” can offer a distinctive taste to

your alfresco fare.

By starting now and browsing though some good outdoor cooking

books, you will have plenty of time to plan the meal and shop for the

best ingredients. Then on the big day, well prepared with great

ideas, you will have a frenzy-free day filled with truly delicious

food and good times with family and friends.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Sara Barnicle. All titles may be

reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at

https://www.newportbeach library.org. For more information on the

Central Library or any of the branches, please contact the Newport

Beach Public Library at (949) 717-3800, option 2.