Featured Article - June 2009
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| Burning Desire: Fire up the grill for Dad's beef kebabs. Cook potatoes and asparagus on the grill wrapped in foil for a complete Father's Day menu. |
Southwest Flavor: Fire Away
In honor of Father's Day, spice up your grilling menu.
Story by Rocky Durham• Photography by Douglas Merriam
Ever since prehistoric men discovered they could cook with fire, guys have loved grilling. That’s not to say that women don’t enjoy fire and grilling, too. Women, it seems, just have a more respectful, cautious relationship with the flame. When men see a fire, a primal urge to cook something awakens.
My dad was no exception. A professional rocket scientist (really!), he joined the Army as a civilian chemist, designed fuel and propulsion systems for orbital vehicles, and readily applied his knowledge of starting really big fires to the art of grilling.
My mom, who did most of the cooking in our house, prepared thoughtful, healthy meals. But when Dad was in charge, his Neolithic menus centered around grilled meat on a stick. Dad would assemble the meat and vegetables—did I say veggies? I meant onions—in the kitchen, spike them on kebab skewers, soak them in a spicy marinade, then advance to the back yard, where the true fun began.
Growing up in Santa Fe, I loved spending time with Dad, especially when we’d light the grill together. He truly had a flair for the flare. In my eyes, Dad was a hero, a man’s man: hunter, soldier, scientist. Indiana Jones had nothing on him.
The famous Hobart J. Durham Jr., Grill-Lighting Technique required wood, charcoal, crinkled-up newspaper, lighter fluid, blowtorch, magnesium tape, chips of solid rocket fuel, and a welder’s mask. Don’t try this at home—Dad was a trained professional with an outrageous insurance policy.
DAD'S OUTDOOR GRILLING TIPS: • Put it on a stick and they'll eat it. ROCKY'S OUTDOOR GRILLING TIPS: • Have salt and pepper handy. Administer liberally. |
Once the smoke had cleared and the coals were perfectly ashen, with a ghostly wisp of flame, we placed the meticulously scrubbed, brand-new-shiny grill over the heat. We used cooking spray—it has an effect very similar to that of a handheld flamethrower—to season the grill, and placed the kebabs diagonally across the grid.
Dad’s cooking tips included, “Don’t keep poking at it!” It’s sound wisdom: Let the fire do the cooking. It’s easy to spot overhandled food: grill marks running in a dozen different directions, all the juice squeezed onto the coals. To avoid overhandling, turn the kebabs 90 degrees once; to finish cooking, flip them over once.
Not one to leave anyone out, Dad would make his famous barbecued chicken if a vegetarian was joining
us for dinner. Occasionally, he’d make foil parcels containing potatoes or asparagus and throw them directly on the coals.
As far as Dad was concerned, the only food worth eating was cooked over an open flame—it simply tastes better than food cooked indoors. However, his requirement that all good food be skewered interfered with his enjoyment of most grains. Later in his life, my sister and I encouraged him to eat a more varied diet. I often employed a trick: Put everything on a stick. We grilled veggie kebabs, and skewered fish instead of beef. A well-received recipe for honey-grilled peach brochettes is still a Durham family favorite.
In New Mexico, we’re blessed with weather that allows us to grill outside most of the year. Even—or especially—on the rare occasions when it’s cold, rainy, or snowy, there’s no better place to be than next to a warm, open fire. In summer, I cook five or six meals a week outside, but my approach is a bit less dramatic than my dad’s, and usually involves opening a valve and pushing a button.
I own two grills—a big propane unit with side burner and electronic ignition, and my trusty Weber—and depending on what’s for dinner, I’ve been known to fire up both at once. The wood smoke from the slow-working Weber adds a depth of flavor that the propane workhorse doesn’t. For a deeper-flavored smoke, some grillmasters advise burning everything from wood chips to dried rosemary branches over the gas elements. You can also burn your favorite dried herb over a coal fire to add perfume to that smoke. I sometimes make a bouquet of fresh herbs, which I then use to brush the marinade on the grilling meat.
Does it actually add a discernible flavor? Who cares? It’s great outdoor cooking showmanship.
This Father’s Day, I’ll be celebrating the life of a great man, my dad, by firing up both grills, wrapping bacon around beef, and skewering everything I can. If you’re in Santa Fe on June 21st and see a large flash and a plume of smoke, it’s probably just me observing a time-honored Durham family tradition.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
Dad’s Beef Kebabs
In honor of Dad, put your meat on a stick.
2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
12 rashers bacon, cut in half
1 large onion, cut in wedges
24 button mushrooms
12 bamboo or metal skewers (soak wooden skewers in warm water for 1 hour before assembling kebabs)
Wrap steak cubes in bacon strips. Assemble meat and vegetables on skewers, alternating steak, onions, and mushrooms. Grill for 8–10 minutes until kebabs are browned, but not burned. Serves 6.
Spicy Marinade
1 bulb garlic, minced
3–4 tablespoons Chimayó red-chile powder (or high-quality New Mexican equivalent)
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
½ cup red wine
¾ cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Combine garlic, chile powder, oregano, red wine, and olive oil; whisk thoroughly. Season kebabs with salt and pepper and place in shallow, nonreactive dish. Pour marinade over kebabs, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while you prepare coals.
Grilled Potato Parcels
In honor of Mom, eat your veggies.
3 large russet potatoes, washed, diced large
8–10 cloves garlic, peeled and whole
1 cup green chile
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
Place all ingredients in large bowl and mix well. Wrap potato mixture in two layers of aluminum foil, making sure there are no holes or unsealed edges. Place on grill or next to coals of pit fire. Turn occasionally. Cook at least 45 minutes.
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| Real men grill their dessert. But seriously, honey-vanilla grilled peaches are a fresh, simple version of classic cobbler. |
Honey-Vanilla Grilled Peaches
This sweet treat is the perfect conclusion to your grilled meal.
6 freestone peaches, quartered, pitted
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons honey
1 vanilla-bean pod
6 bamboo skewers
(soak wooden skewers in
warm water for 1 hour before
assembling kebabs)
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Skewer peach quarters. Brush with butter and place on grill. Remove vanilla seeds from pod. Combine seeds with honey and brush periodically over peaches. Cook 6–8 minutes, turning to create grill marks. Serve over vanilla ice cream and drizzle with remaining honey. Serves 6.
