According To Smoky

Welcome to According to Smoky. Here you will find the latest and greatest from C. Clark "Smoky" Hale notable 'baster', author, publisher, television star in both the barbecue and 'the real' world. And yes, he is a real person and not the webmaster.

Smoky will be offering his talents, techniques and secrets discovered over the last 150 years, or so. He will be to the point, pull no punches and if you suffer through the process, you will become a much better outdoor cook, turning out masterpiece meals for friends and family alike.

In this column, Smoky will offer several ways to cook your lamb and one way that should be avoided! . . . . . take notes!

So, with no further adieu, we turn the mike to Smoky. You're on Smoky . . . . .

Thanks PC,

Tender verses... Mary had a little lamb, bell peppers and tomatoes skewered with an onion sliced and broccoli with potatoes.

I think of it as tender, versatile meat that is as healthy as it is delicious. Being of extremely mild flavor, it joins easily with a variety of seasonings and treatments. Lamb pleasures the palate in plebeian pots or regal racks. It is economical and deserves to be included in your repertoire.

A quick way to prepare a healthy, delicious and beautiful main course on the grill is to skewer small pieces of meat or seafood with alternate slices of savory vegetables. The smaller pieces cook more quickly and provide more surface area for introducing flavors. The variations of flavors, textures and colors are limited only by your own imagination.

While skewers are usually shown loaded as in the above poem, I find it more practical to hoist the vegetables on their own skewer and use only small pieces of essential savory vegetables - peppers, onions, lemon/lime - with the meat. Veggies need a slower fire and different time than meat. Separation provides better control and allows for more variety.

To give six people delirium nibblin's, try this savory broiled Lamb Shish Kebob.

Crush two cloves of garlic into 1/4 cup extra-virgin* olive oil and set aside. Trim fat and membrane from a leg of lamb and cut about two pounds into 1 - 1 1/2 cubes. (cut up and store the remainder for stew and save the bone for stock to use another day). Spread cubes in a shallow pan or tray.

Mix the following in a small bowl:

ground thyme 1 teaspoon
ground bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon
paprika 1 teaspoon
fresh black pepper 1 teaspoon

Rub the seasoning mixture into the meat, brush all sides with garlic-oil, cover and let warm to room temperature while you thinly slice two limes (or lemons). Slice two ribs florence fennel into 1" diagonals and quarter one large onion vertically and separate sections by growth layers.

Assemble on skewers by alternating lime, fennel, and onion slices between meat cubes. Soak bamboo skewers in salt water before using.

Fill other skewers with your choice of vegetables such as sweet or hot pepper, onion, tomatoes, mushrooms, etcetera, and brush with garlic-oil.

This may be done ahead and the food refrigerated for several hours. If you do this, remove the meat from the refrigerator in time for it to gain room temperature.

Fire up the grill in advance and bring it to broiling temperature - 500-700 degrees. Place the meat on the grill, over the coals, and allow about three minutes per side for medium rare. Place the vegetables where the heat is less intense (300-400 degrees) and turn as needed.

Serve at once with a little rice pilaf. Salt at the table if desired. Will make you review the "Child's Garden of Verses" in a completely different sense.

Smoky Has A New Book The Great American Barbecue & Grilling Manual 416 pages of great information and wonderful recipes. @ The Barbecue Store

Fun,
Smoky
C. Clark Hale
8168 Hwy 98 E.
McComb, MS 39648

Smoky's 5th basic position for really great barbecue'n.