Outdoors: Simple delicious food for barbecues, spits and open fires

Outdoors: Simple delicious food for barbecues, spits and open fires

By Jeremy Schmid, with photography by Devin Hart
Published by New Holland
$45.00, paperback with flaps

 “Gone are the days of throwing a packet of basic sausages or steak on the ‘barbie’ with an attitude that ‘near enough is good enough’. Nowadays, we want style, flavour and expert presentation. You just can’t beat the smoky atmosphere, sizzling sounds and delicious smells of outdoor cooking as a drawcard.” – Jeremy Schmid

New Zealand’s relaxed and casual lifestyle means we love socialising and entertaining outdoors, and food cooked outdoors in the company of good friends always somehow tastes better. In his third book, Jeremy Schmid offers techniques and recipe ideas to help you create the delicious aromas and tantalising tastes produced by cooking on a barbecue, over a fire, or slow-cooking on a spit.

Jeremy’s own introduction to outdoor cooking, as a child, was on a basic home-built, brick, wood-fired barbecue, and he’s retained an uncomplicated approach, so that you can enjoy effortless food preparation and presentation. The recipes in Outdoors, accompanied by Devin Hart’s appetizing photographs, are grouped in chapters depending on which ingredient has the main focus, whether it’s various cuts of meat, poultry, fish and seafood or vegetables. There are also plenty of recipes for rubs, brines, marinades and condiments, and of course salads and desserts.

Many of the recipes are suitable to be made at home and prepacked, then transported for the occasion, whether it’s just out to the backyard, off to a picnic, or even to the races.

In addition to information on the various cooking appliances and implements, Jeremy also describes how to build a traditional spit roast, the perfect way to entertain a large gathering.

About the author and photographer

Jeremy Schmid (left) worked as a chef in New Zealand and Europe before studying at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, with particular emphasis on charcuterie. He is owner and chef at The Officers Mess, a coastal functions venue on Auckland’s North Shore.

 

Devin Hart is a freelance photographer with considerable experience working with food. His work appears in a number of books and food magazines, and this is his third collaboration with Jeremy.






The publishers have kindly allowed me to reproduce the following Grilled Vegetable Salad recipe from the book which I have made:

GRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD

This is one of my favourite salads. It’s quick and easy to prepare with great results. It matches any barbecue meats and is always well received at picnics or parties.

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS

2 eggplants cut into 1cm discs

2 red capsicums deseeded, and cut into 8–10 small, rectangular-shaped pieces

2 red onions, peeled, cut in wedges, keeping the core

4 courgettes cut into 1cm slices on the angle

10–15 fresh, large basil leaves

15g fresh Italian parsley, roughly chopped

3–4 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

salt and freshly-ground black pepper

canola oil for cooking

METHOD

Heat the barbecue to a medium-high heat and lightly oil the vegetables, then grill until tender.

Cut the eggplant discs into halves and place all the vegetables into a large bowl.

Add the herbs and dress with the oil and balsamic vinegar mixture and season well.

Gently toss together.

Serve warm.

 

Recipe extracted with permission from Outdoors: Simple delicious food for barbecues, spits and open fires by Jeremy Schmid, photography by Devin Hart. Published by New Holland, $45.00.