Sunday was a glorious day and one of only a few since April. We were outside the whole day, absorbing the beauty of this summers day, the warmth, the clear skies. The trail of smoke from our neighbor, preparing lunch on the barbeque, prompted us to change our plans and to have lunch instead of dinner over the open fire.

Butterflied chicken with an orange/honey glaze.

• One organic chicken, butterflied
• The juice of about 3 oranges
• The zest of one orange
• A good teaspoonful of honey
• Some thyme
• Salt and fresh milled pepper
• A Gracious knob of butter
• A few branches of rosemary tied into a glazing brush
• A spoonful of Cointreau for the flambé

1. Light a fire, first for good ambiance and then for good heat.
2. In a mug that can take the heat, mix the juice of the oranges, zest, honey, thyme and butter. Melt on the side of the grill over gentle heat.
3. While the chicken is slowly grilling over the coals, you glaze frequently with your rosemary brush and orange butter. Salt and pepper the chicken right after that first glaze.
4. When the chicken looks good, smells good, and the juices run clear when pierced into the thickest part, it is reoved from the heat and placed on a platter.
5. Heat the Cointreau in a big spoon, light and pour over the chicken.
6. Cut into portions at the table and serve with slices of orange, lightly caramelized for a minute or two on the grill.
7. Serves about 4.

Onions in the skin

• About 4 big onions, unpeeled
• Chopped chives, sage and marjoram
• Knob of butter
• Juice of half a lemon
• Salt and pepper

1. Cut a cross in each onion at the top without cutting right through. Fill with piece of butter, the chopped herbs, salt and pepper and sprinkel with the lemon juice.
2. Place inside a dish which goes inside a big pot/casserole that can go onto the fire. Place the lid on and “bake” inside the pot for until soft. Some new potatoes can be added along with the onions. Another alternative would be to wrap in foil and place in the coals, but we prefer doing it this way.
3. Serve, sprinkled with some fresh herbs and a sprinkling of black pepper.
4. Serves 4

Grilled melon with caramel sauce

• Two small lemons
• Caramel sauce
• Vanilla ice cream

1. Cut each melon in half, remove the seeds
2. Place each half upside down on the grill over meduim heat. When the flesh is nicely caramelized, turn over.
3. Drizzle some caramel sauce into the cavity. Leave for a minute or two on the heat.
4. Remove from the heat and serve immediately with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
5. Alternative: the caramel sauce can be replaced by a lavender honey, and a lavender ice cream, sprinkled with some lavender flowers.

Commentaires

–>hello there, i like to stuff onions (also in their skins) with polenta and parmesan – a lovely side for a steak for example. the melon and caramel sounds divine… i must try this when i am back from holidays and have my weber at my disposal again!

Posté par johanna, 10-07-2007 à 23:12

–>Oh, yea. Your idea to use the rosemary as a brush to baste is brilliant. Please, tell the story behind the idea? I love it.

Posté par Lucy Vanel, 27-07-2007 à 21:30