Every February, when preparing this newsletter, we've experienced an internal conflict in solidifying our message. On the one hand, we're ever so aware of the macho masochistic gridiron clash and, on the other, we are aware of the loving and special moments around that Valentine's Day. Each year we attempt to combine these two major events in this newsletter with more or less success.

Since, of course, we're all about food ... what pops up is the commonality of food to cover both events. In doing so, we have decided to focus on the Shish Kabob for both finger foods on the coffee table during the ball game as well as an elegant meal on Valentine's Day.

Kebabs, kabobs, or shish kebabs are believed to have been derived from the Turkish (siskebabi or "roasted meat") Other scholars believe kabobs were first cooked in Africa tens of thousands of years ago. Regardless of its origin(s), who doesn't like 'em?

Double Skewers

Wide Bamboo Skewers

Rotary Shish-Ke-Bab

The manner in which most Shish kebabs are prepared and cooked is like saying to your sweetie, "Let's celebrate Valentine's Day by watching the Super Bowl". It's a bit raw and someone's likely to get burned. Don't let this derail your plans, however. Many would say "We like the way the kabobs look with alternating meat and veggies.". However attractive this "before cooking presentation", the end product sports under cooked meat and burned veggies. But, when prepared in the following fashion, kabobs are situated for less vegetable burning and adequately cooked meats.

Our solution is temporary separation. No, not from your Valentine or even the television set, but separation of the meats and veggies while cooking. We cook similar meats together (i.e. shrimp on one skewer, chicken on another and perhaps pork on a third) and the veggies (i.e. onions on one skewer, mushrooms on another and possibly bell peppers on a third). In this manner, you can place the pork and chicken kabobs on the grill earlier, then the shrimp and veggies later. The veggies and meats will have been cooked to perfection when you are finished. For greater variety, marinate the meats in different flavors, veggies also.

"OK" you say, so how does this play out in the Super Bowl vs. Valentine's Day conflict? Quite simple, we would offer more meats (of several different types) and less veggies for the ball game. Each guy can grab a kabob and eat what he likes tossing the skewers in the trash or wherever. They can even peel off what what they want leaving the rest for the others. We recommend using the throwaway double wide skewers soaked in water 1 hour before use.

And as for Valentine's Day, use the same procedure for cooking meats separately from the veggies. One person's plate would have the veggies and the other person's plate would have the meats. How you get the meats to your partner and veggies back to your plate is subject of one's cunning imagination. It can be quite romantic if you let it! For your Valentine's Day we recommend elegant chrome double skewers.

We hope you enjoy your shish kebabs in whatever manner you desire.

Note: We recommend "double skewing" your items or even using wide bamboo skewers. It helps keep the veggies and meats from twisting or twirling on the sticks which tends to over cook one side of the kabobs.

The Smoke 'N Fire Enquirer

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Smoked Garlic-Herb Cornish Hens in Orange and Ale Baste - Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue - P. 355

These birds are a little tastier than chicken, even though they are in the same family. Paul Kirk

• Four 18- to 24-ounce Cornish hens

GARLIC-HERB RUB

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• 1 Tbs garlic salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano leaves
• 1 tsp dried basil leaves
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

ORANGE AND ALE BASTE

• 1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• One 12-ounce bottle premium beer ( I use Redhook Ale), allowed to go flat


• 1 cup orange juice

Directions:

1. Prepare an indirect fire.
   


2. Reserve the giblets from the hens, rinse the hens inside and out under cold running water, and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve the giblets for anther use or season them with the rub, cook them with the hens and snack on them when they are done.
   


3. To make the rub, in a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients and mix well. Season the hens evenly inside and out with it.
   


4. To make the baste, combine the baste ingredients in a medium-size nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat.
   


5. Place the hens on the pit breast side up, cover, and cook at 230° to 250° F. for 1 hour. Turn, baste the hens, close the lid, and continue to baste and turn every 30 minutes. The total cooking time is 30 to 45 minutes per pound or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thigh and breast, away from the bone, registers 165° F.

From Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue (© 2004)