Baking on the barbecue - recipes - The Good Foods of Summer: A Special Section

Sunset, July, 1990

When you plan to fire up the barbecue for the main dish, whether it's fish fillets or flank steak, allow some time before or after this course to do a little barbecue baking.

You might make a bread to serve with dinner: both the olive-studded rolls and the marinara-flavored crescents use purchased doughs.

Or, after the main dish iS COOKed, have apples ready to bake.

Pull-apart Olive Broad Ring
     All-purpose flour
   1 loaf (1 lb.) frozen whole-wheat or
     white bread dough, thowed
   1/3 cup coarsely chopped pimiento-stuffed
     Spanish-style olives
     About 1 tablespoon olive oil

On a lightly floured board, flatten dough. Sprinkle with olives, then knead until they are well distributed. Divide dough into 8 equal portions; knead each into a ball. Set balls against rim of an oiled 8- to 9-inch-diameter pan (or disposable foil pan). Brush dough with olive oil. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place until almost doubled in size, 35 to 40 minutes; discard plastic wrap.

In a barbecue with a lid, set pan in grill center over indirect heat (see directions at right). Cover barbecue, open vents, and bake bread until well browned, 45 to 50 minutes; start checking at 30 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving. 181 cal.; 4.5 g protein; 5.2 g fat, 29 g carbo.; 408 mg sodium; 2.8 mg chol

Italian Tomato Crescents
     All-purpose flour
   1 package (10 oz.) refrigerated pizza
     crust
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
   1/3 cup canned marinara sauce
   1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

On a lightly floured board, roll or pat crust to make a 12-inch square. Brush with 1 tablespoon of the oil, then spread evenly with marinara sauce. Sprinkle sauce with 3 tablespoons of the cheese.

Cut dough into 4 equal squares; then cut each diagonally into 2 triangles. Roll each piece from widest side toward point. Set rolls, points under, well apart on an oiled 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. Brush rolls lightly with remaining oil, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.

In a barbecue with a lid, set pan in the center of grill over indirect heat. Cover barbecue, open vents, and bake until rolls are golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes; start checking at 20 minutes. Makes 8.

Per roll. 134 cal.; 4.5 g protein, 4.9 g fat, 17 g carbo.; 296 mg sodium; 2.6 mg chol

Marzipan-baked Apples
    6 medium-size (2 1/2 - to 3-in.-diameter,
      about 1 1/2 lb. total) red Gravenstein
      or Jonathan apples
    1/4 cup (about 3 oz.) marzipan
      (sweetened almond paste)
      Butter or margarine
    1/3 cup whipping cream
      Whole nutmeg to grate

Core apples; starting at stem end, pare about 1/4 of the peel from the top of each apple. Fill cavities equally with marzipan. Set apples in a buttered 8- to 9-inch square or round pan (or disposable foil 1)an). Pour cream over apples, then grate nutmeg lightly over fruit.

In a barbecue with a lid, set pan in the center of grill over indirect heat (see directions at left). Cover barbecue, open vents, and bake until fruit is tender when pierced, 50 to 60 minutes. After 20 minutes, baste fruit occasionally with cream. Serve hot or warm. Serves 6.

Per serving: 157 cal.; 1.2 g protein, 5 g fat; 29 g carbo.; 6 mg sodium; 75 mg chol

Indirect heat cooking

For indirect cooking on the barbecue, ignite 40 charcoal briquets on firegrate. When coals are dotted with gray ash, after 30 to 40 minutes, push coals equally to opposite sides of the grate or arrange them around the grate's perimeter. Evenly distribute 6 more briquets on the coals; if you plan to cook for more than 1 hour, add 6 more briquets every 30 minutes to maintain heat level.

To increase temperature for direct grilling, add the desired number of briquets about 20 minutes before baking is to conclude. Then the coals will be ready to use about 10 minutes after baking is done.