Ritz Recipes: Mango barbecue basting sauce | North Carolina style barbecue | Marinade for grilled fish


By Jan Norris


No matter how much you know, you can always learn from a pro. A group of “students” — guests and the media — were enlightened on several aspects of throwing
a backyard barbecue, thanks to the chefs and kitchen staff at The Ritz-Carlton
Palm Beach.


Chef Ryan Artim welcomed the group, part of a cooking school series at the resort. The lessons were all about putting together a stylish but easy barbecue.


“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” Artim said. “You can do some of the dishes ahead of time so all you have to do at the last minute is throw a few things on
the grill.”


One of the keys to successful entertaining is having all the components ready for the dinner, so all you’ll need to worry about is the last-minute food.


A tip from the pros: Everything for the meal is listed and checked off — the menu, right down to the condiments; the dishware and serving pieces, linens and
decorations. Don’t forget drinks, ice and napery — and music for the patio,
too.


Have some light foods and drinks ready for guests when they arrive, as the Ritz staff did with chilled champagne and a selection of chilled shellfish, both raw
and cooked. Chips and house-made salsas were simple and easy for diners and
chefs.


For an outdoor summer ’cue, the heat is on, so have plenty of cold drinks available, too: craft beers, wine coolers, soda fizzes and water.


For his menu of ribs, steaks and grilled fish, the chef brined racks of spareribs overnight — a method cooks are familiar with for turkey. “It works great on
just about any meats,” he says. A dry rub goes on the ribs before they hit the
wood-fired grill, then barbecue sauce is added last, just before serving. “I
don’t like to use a sauce on them over the fire. It tends to burn and they’ve
already got a rub on them for flavor. Heat the barbecue sauce so everything is
hot when it’s served,” he advises.


The grill is hot when the ribs hit it, then the fire is lowered (or the grate raised — depending on how your grill works).


Chicken is marinated in a citrusy marinade, and can be treated the same way, or prepared in the oven. A dry rub, rather than a sauce, also gives it flavor.
Like most chefs, Artim prefers the meatier and more flavorful thighs for
cooking.


Fish are firm fillets; mahi-mahi, swordfish (it’s off a watch list for now) or salmon make good choices. Use a fish basket to make turning them over the fire
easy, and give them a smoky finish.


Simple small red potatoes, baked and hollowed slightly, contain a bacon, horseradish and sour cream mixture for a quick side dish that goes great with the ribs and
fillets. A slaw has a blender-made dressing that could be made a day ahead and
tossed with the cabbage-apple mixture at the last minute.


Key lime pie and fruit cobblers provided the sweet endings to this cooking class meal — both easy make-ahead choices for a do-it-yourself affair.


Of course, if you don’t want to bother, you can just call The Ritz — its catering department could recreate this meal at your home.


The Ritz-Carlton will have two more cooking classes for “Date Nite with the Chef”
this year:


Aug. 5, 5 to 7 p.m., with dinner afterward, “Discover Mediterranean and Middle
Eastern Cuisine.” Participants get champagne, nibbles in the kitchen and dinner
after they watch and learn how to make a meal focusing on Greek, Italian and
Middle Eastern cuisines. Recipes provided. Sessions are $125 per person.


Nov. 4, 5 to 7 p.m., with dinner afterward, “Deck the Halls with our Culinary
Team and get ready for your Holiday Parties!” Participants will join the chefs
to learn to make party foods, and holiday specialties, then enjoy a meal in
Temple Orange following the class. Recipes provided. Classes are $125 per
person; special overnight hotel rates are available with these classes.



Jan Norris is a freelance writer/editor. Check out more recipe tips and ideas at www.jannorris.com.





E-mail me when people leave their comments –

You need to be a member of The Coastal Star to add comments!

Join The Coastal Star

Activity Feed

Mary Kate Leming posted an event
16 minutes ago
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
22 hours ago
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 20
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 20
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 19
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 19
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 19
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 19
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 19
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 19
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 19
Mary Kate Leming posted a blog post
Mar 19
Mary Kate Leming posted a blog post
Mar 19
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 19
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 19
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 19
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Mar 17
Mary Kate Leming posted photos
Feb 28
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Feb 28
The Coastal Star posted a blog post
Feb 28
More…