Ruben cooking with fire
One of the things we’ll be doing with the change of weather is barbecue! In summer we all love cooking outside; there’s nothing better than socialising with family and friends and chucking some stuff on the barbie.
But what is the secret between good barbecue food and a total disaster?
Well, the control of the heat, coals or the flames basically — the colour we put on our food! It’s as simple as that.
There is a golden rule in cooking that says ‘no colour = no flavour’. If you end up one day seeing me cooking in person, you’ll hear me say this again and again. Why do I do that? Because you don’t need fancy or expensive equipment in order to change the flavours of your food. Trust me, you just need to follow some basics, and this one about putting colour on your food is one of the most important ones you can ever learn.
Whether the heat comes from your grill, the frying pan, or even the toaster (I'm not joking!) what is happening is the breakdown of your food’s proteins into amino acids. These amino acids then react with the sugars present in your food and become this brown charred tasty, tasty goodness. This is called the ‘Maillard Reaction’ and without getting too technical about it, iit is just a way of creating that brown crust of deliciousness we all love in food. It doesn’t matter if you are a pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan or a meat-lover. We all do!
As an example, during my career, I’ve found many, many people telling me they didn’t like Brussels sprouts, cauliflower or even cabbage. So I just chop them small, in equal sizes, toss them with a tiny bit of olive oil and salt flakes and burn them on the barbecue and it is incredibly satisfying to see someone finding love for a product they thought they didn’t like. There’s a “eureka moment” you see on their faces.
It is a very primal feeling, our connection with fire and burned flavours. I don't know why, I wish I could explain it better, but the only thing I can tell you is that it works! It really does!
But what about fish and seafood, I hear you thinking. Can I do the same? Absolutely! It’s the same concept: put some grill bar marks on your food, leave a fish fillet skin down for longer, et cetera.
Now, if you are into amazing pieces of meat? Well, let me take you to the ‘Asadores Vascos’ in Basque Country where cooking with fire is a type of art.
You may have heard about the chef Lennox Hastie and his Surry Hills restaurant Firedoor, recently awarded with three hats!
It is a restaurant where fire is the key element and the only way of cooking. However, this concept of cooking with just fire wasn’t invented here! It actually came from the north of Spain, especially from all the ‘Asadores Aascos’ and the flagship restaurant Asador Etxebarri (currently ranked 6th in the world) Chef Victor Arguinzoniz elevates grilling to outstanding and extraordinary levels. Believe me, fire and food are embedded in their DNA!
But barbecuing like a pro isn’t just for expensive restaurants. It’s about having fun cooking with your mates on a warm summer day — like soon we will be able to do here in Orange — or while camping or at the beach.
So remember, if you want to find yourself salivating over your food this summer, start with good seasoning and put heaps of colours on your food.
Send me a message when you do so, I want to see your creations!
PRO TIP: Remember to let your products shine! Avoid too much oil or fake condiments. For example with a good quality steak, you won’t need to add crazy amounts of oil. Just spray little by little with a homemade bottle of oil, adding a fine misting layer and spreading it using a bunch of fresh herbs. Add a few pinches of really good quality sea salt flakes and serve it with flavoursome sides like chimichurri, lemon wedges, fresh wasabi, et cetera — the options are endless!
I want to add a quick note congratulating our local restaurant Charred for recently receiving a ONE HAT rating! Well done Liam O'Brien and David Collins for your amazing work putting colour and flavour on our plates for the last few years. Massive achievement guys and well deserved!