Rum 'n' Coke Ribs and 'My Grill' by Pete Evans - Book Review

"Nothing comes between this book and me!", Mr J exclaimed, clutching Pete Evans's My Grill cookbook tightly to his chest, right after he spotted the Rum 'n' Coke Ribs recipe.

We will get back on that a little later. Let's talk about the book first, shall we?

Pete Evans has taken an Aussie layback approach to this cookbook. It's all about stress free cooking and relaxed entertaining. Barbecue is such a big part of the Aussie lifestyle. Entertaining with family and friends over a barbecue is something we do on a regular basis. There are plenty simple, yet scrumptious, recipes in this cookbook that will tempt you or your bloke to pick up the tong and fire up the barbie.

Sirloin Steak with Cafe de Paris Butter

T-bone Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Camp ground friendly breakfasts - Egg with Chorizo, French Toast with Figs, Pancakes with Cinnamon Bananas - and easy dinners prepared in camp ovens - Camp Oven Pork Belly with Chilli Caramel, Camp Oven-Roasted Leg of Lamb with Port and Onions - will make you want to camp out, rug up and snuggle by the camp fire. Most of the camp oven recipes can easily be converted into oven or slow cooker recipes, making it possible to indulge in winter time.

Eggs with Chorizo

Pancake with Cinnamon Bananas

Camp Oven Pork Belly with Chilli Caramel

The Australian food scene is like a giant melting pot. Multicultural influences on Modern Australian cuisine are heavily reflected in Pete Evans' cookbook. Be it Asian, Middle Eastern, African or European, he has adopted the best and given them to us:

Barramundi Fillets in Bamboo Leaf with Black Bean & Chilli Sambal

Homemade Merquez Sausages

Piri piri Chicken Burger

Being a continent (or just a big island?) with amazingly long shorelines, Australia has an abundant supply of fresh seafood. It's therefore no surprise that seafood features a lot in this cookbook:

Wok Fried Blue Swimmer Crabs with Thai Basil & Eggplant

Calamari with Grilled Fennel & Burnt Lemon Dressing

Yes, it's a barbecue cookbook. However, there is no lack of lighter fair. Pete Evans has demonstrated that barbecue cuisine is not all about putting a snag or steak on the barbie. You can be innovative, you can think outside the box, and create some truly flavoursome dishes.

Ocean Trout with Simple Green Mango Salad

Seared Scallops with Green Tea Noodles

A highlight of this cookbook is that Pete Evans shares some of his favourite family and friends recipes with his readers. He has included the Burger recipe he himself cooks on the barbie, his mum's Steak Sandwich, his brother in law's favourite Fish in Foil and the Mussel Gazwah recipe by Gary Fishwick, the head chef of the eco-lodge Paperback Camp in Jervis Bay. The recipe I am most excited about is the Lamb Tagine by his friend Ian 'Herbie' Hemphill, the owner of Herbie's spices, which uses his favourite tagine spice mix comprising of paprika, cardamom, chilli and allspice.

Pete's Burger

Udo's Fish in Foil with Tamarind, Coconut Milk & other Aromatics

Although there are only a handful of vegetarian dishes, there is enough of variety to cater for your vegetarian guests.

Chilli Bean Quesadillas

The only two grilled fruit recipes definitely make me crave for more from Pete.

Barbecue Peaches with Amaretto (top)
Barbecued Figs with Mascarpone & Honey (bottom)

There are plenty of cocktails and mocktails to get excited about. One particular one worth mentioning is the Breakfast Martini created by Salvatore Calabrese in London that uses everyday ingredients including marmalade!

Breakfast Martini

Paloma and Fish House Punch

Now back to the ribs. No surprise here. Mr J picked up the cookbook and braved the cold breeze to sizzle up this Rum 'n' Coke Ribs for dinner.

Man and ribs, rum and coke, they are perfect together.

"Am I subjective in reviewing this book?" "Yes", I am not afraid to admit. But, how can I not be subjective regarding a cookbook that made Mr J wanna cook for me?

Rum 'n' Coke Ribs Recipe
(Adapted from My Grill by Peter Evans)
Serves 2

Ingredients

2 racks of American-style Pork Ribs

Marinade:
250 ml (9 fl oz / 1 cup)rum
750 ml (26 fl / 3 cups) cola
300 ml (10 1/2 fl oz) tomato ketcup
1-2 dashes of Tabasco sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp hoisin sauce

Method:

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, then place the ribs in a non-metallic dish and cover with the marinade. Refrigerate overnight.



2. Preheat the barbecue hotplate to low-medium. Place the ribs in a baking tray, and cook on the hotplate to low-medium. Place the ribs in a baking tray, and cook on the hotplate, covered, for 1 hour 15 minutes, basting the ribs every 20 minutes with the marinade.
   
   

   

3. Remove from the baking tray and cook the ribs on a medium barbecue hotplate for 5 minutes on each side, or until caramelised and lightly charred.

   

4. While the ribs are cooking, place some of the marinade in a saucepan on the barbecue, bring to the boil and reduce by half to serve as sauce with the ribs.

Note: Have plenty of napkins on hand as you will definitely have sticky fingers. Oh, and remember to have extra rum and coke on hand for the chef.

Thank you to Murdoch Books for sending me the review copy.

MY GRILL - FOOD FOR THE BARBECUE
by Pete Evans

Chef, restaurateur and TV presenter Pete Evans is fired up about a subject very close to his, and every man's, heart - the barbecue. Tongs in hand, Pete takes you through three chapters of sizzling recipes starting with a weekend away, through to a lazy afternoon barbecue, finishing with a more stylish evening affair. Each chapter also contains cocktails to add a little fuel to the fire.

Pete's award-winning restaurants include Hugo's Manly, Hugo's Bar Pizza and Hugo's Lounge in Sydney and the Pantry in Brighton, Victoria. His television work has included Channel Nine's daily food show 'Fresh', the series 'Fish', sixty episodes of 'Home' for the Lifestyle Channel and a documentary, 'Cooking for our Princess Mary'. Pete lives in Bondi with Astrid and their daughters, Chilli and Indii. Pete Evans has built a reputation as a chef, restaurateur, television presenter and (his personal favourite) fisherman. My Grill is his third book.

Published November 2009 by Murdoch Books
256 pages, Hardback
260 x 210mm
AU $49.95 (available on Fishpond and Booktopia)
ISBN 1741965438