Meal Ideas for an Outdoor Kitchen

[blacknoir]

What meals have you come up with which utilize the WFO and a grill? I'm looking for some menu ideas beyond the basic steak and shrimp or pizza and bread.. something that uses both the grill and the WFO.. ideas that allow me to prepare while I fire up the oven.. a menu which allows one to chop while sipping a cerveza and chatting with guests.. I want to bring cooking to a new level for my guests.. and then bring it outdoors!

[Archena]

Appetizer: fondue, the ultimate in 'chat while you're eating food'. Cheese is best with bread hot from the oven - just don't overdo it. Leave room for later.

Salad: Here's where the beauty of low, slow cooking shines. Beef vinaigrette with beef straight out of the dutch oven - thinly sliced assuming it holds together well enough. Guests can be shredding lettuce as you prep the meat. Think Italian herbage for the meat seasoning.

Entree: No one expects the Fish Inquisition! (Which is a lame joke even if you have seen Monty Python). Sole thermador baked while the guests are still munching on the salad (Should go in during the appetizer).

Since there's always one person deathly allergic to fish - or just hates fish - now the grill comes into play. Chicken fajitas with enough white cheese sauce to float a small ocean liner. More chopping, more sizzling and just as unexpected. Make plenty cause sole ain't that cheap.

Dessert: pizza! Someone track down that chocolate dessert pizza recipe for this guy, will ya? (I'm just the idea person - okay, I'm just lazy.) Once the sizzling is done, fire up the oven back to pizza temps - great entertainment for the kiddies, and the children, too. I think it was Francis who had the chocolate pizza to die for recipe. While you're loading up the oven, have the guests poking left over bread, melons, strawberries and anything else that sounds tasty on skewers. Warm over the grill coals and drench in whatever sauce your heart - or your guests hearts - desire.

Coffee: Every good meal should end with a coffee. Bring out the good stuff and serve with that lovely chocolate pizza (okay, so we're combining with dessert here - work with me).

Have some chinese take out boxes spiffed up with ribbon or trinkets on hand. Anything your guests are too stuffed to eat can be sent home with them - and away from your poor refrigerator! Classy touch would be to drizzle some of the remaining chocolate onto a few strawberries. Use cellophane and metallic ribbon to send them home with your guests.


So, is that the kind of thing you had in mind?

[blacknoir]

Yeah! Now I just need like 10-20 more!

[Modthyrth]

How about Spanish night?
--Pitchers of sangria, of course, to greet the guests
--assorted olives and perhaps stuffed tomatoes to nibble on as cooking starts
--lightly grill/toast some bread slices for pan con tomate
--start your paella(s) on the grill, or over a fire in the oven
--I'll bet you could do a great Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp Tapas) in the oven
--I can personally vouch for doing bacon wrapped dates successfully in the mouth of the oven while bringing an oven up to pizza temps.
--Serve the paella for the main course
--I don't know anything about Spanish desserts. Apple emanadas sound delicious and could be done ahead, and quickly warmed in the mouth of the oven. Fresh, homemade churros are divine, if you feel up to frying.

[Neil2]

Don't forget the beer!

[Archena]

I try very hard to forget beer...

[egalecki]

Asudavew has a great crab stuffed mushroom dish you can cook in the mouth of the oven while it's getting up to temp. He also had a reallly good shrimp and garlic recipe. I also cook the sausage for the pizza (I'm a sausage girl, not so much pepperoni) in the mouth of the oven while it's heating up.

For me, though, when I'm doing a party, I'd rather get as much done ahead as possible, so I can enjoy myself at the party. If you really want to have it be an all-oven feast, you can always do it ahead anyway. I did for my son's graduation party. I made pulled pork a few days ahead and had that along with pizza.

Some more things that are really good in the oven or on the grill are roasted/grilled veggies (winter squash, particularlly butternut squash, are fab on the grill with olive oil and rosemary!)