Autumn leaves and fire-bowls

Where are you going for your autumn outing this year? Consider looking for a quiet place in the countryside and bring a barbecue, or, as Pauline D. Loh suggests, you can create an indoor feast with some delicious grills.

This Sunday, our editorial team is locking our laptops and leaving the office for a country outing to the outskirts of Beijing. We are going to a turkey farm where they offer long walks along country lanes, fishing spots by the creek and a barbecue pit to warm our bodies and tummies.

Some of our expatriate staff will be introducing the pleasures of toffee apples and s'mores to our young Chinese colleagues. What's a "s'more"? It's an American Girl Scout tradition made by sandwiching a toasted marshmallow between two chocolate biscuits, and it's what you say after tasting one. Most of all, it's a campfire classic.

Twice every year, most corporate offices in China organize excursions for employees, mostly to hill, country or seaside retreats that are best experienced in spring and or in fall.

This tradition is great for team building, and for once, we can all sit down and talk about something else besides work. At China Daily, we are also encouraged to bring along spouses or children, a welcomed invitation that allows the busy parent or partner to finally spare some quality time for the significant others.

Besides the turkey and roast lamb that we are anticipating with increased activity of salivary glands, we intend to add some variety to our outdoor feast with a selection of skewers that we will bring along.

Food on sticks is common here, not least at the all-night kebab stands offering cumin-crusted lamb, chicken, beef and a variety of economical cuts that suddenly look deliciously appealing under their spicy crusts of chili, cumin, coriander and Sichuan peppercorns.

I am borrowing more from the Japanese yakitori, though, because the flavors are more honest and there is not too much of a cover-up with spices. The quality of the meat will show through, and I think the natural flavors will go better with the picturesque scenery we have been promised.

The recipes can also be made for an indoor grill or hibachi. And it's great for a patio party because all the work is done in advance and your guests can cook the skewers themselves on the hibachi or grills.

The hibachi (hih-BAH-chee) is Japanese for "fire bowl". A hibachi is just that - a small (generally cast-iron or ceramic) container made for holding fuel (usually charcoal). A grilling rack that sits on top of the fire is used to cook various foods. Hibachis come in all shapes, including square, oblong or round models, but they are all very portable, because of their compact size.

I have seen some modern versions, which are really nothing more than miniature barbecues with adjustable racks to control the heat.

Back in our Yunnan home, we have a two-layered brick barbecue in our backyard that works really well, and we've enjoyed roast lamb, chicken, beef skewers and grilled vegetables on it. It can also cook a pizza on the brick floor.

Whatever the size of the equipment, nothing beats the smoky appeal of cooking on an open fire. Especially in autumn when the leaves are red and gold, mirroring the flames on the barbecue. But if you are cooking outdoors, make sure you douse the flames completely to avoid any accidents.

Recipe: Sesame beef enoki rolls

Ingredients (serves 4):

400 g sirloin or flank steak

400 g enoki mushrooms

1 bunch chives

Marinade:

2 tbsp mirin (Japanese rice wine)

1 tbsp light soya sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1 shallot, minced

1 tsp honey

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method:

1. Slice beef very thinly across the grain, and soak in the marinade for at least 6 hours or overnight.

2. Trim off the root ends of the enoki mushroom and divide into 12 portions.

3. Trim chives and cut into 6-8 cm lengths.

4. Wrap marinated beef slices around each portion of mushrooms, add some chives and roll up tightly. (You may want to secure the rolls with a wooden cocktail pick or bamboo skewer.)

5. Grill the rolls on the hibachi and serve sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.

Food notes:

All the work is in the preparation for this dish. Once you have marinated the beef and made up the rolls, you can place them on a tray, cover with cling wrap and then relax during the party. Let your guest cook the rolls to their preferred doneness. Make an extra portion of the marinade and serve it as a dipping sauce. Add more sesame seeds for better flavor.

Recipe: Chicken & Leek yakitori

Ingredients (serves 4):

400 g chicken thigh meat, skinned

2 bunches young leeks

Salt and pepper

Basting Sauce:

1 cup chicken broth

1 brown onion, grated

2 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp honey

Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Prepare basting sauce by placing all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring the liquid to a simmer and cook until reduced and syrupy, about 30 minutes.

2. Cut up chicken thigh meat into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.

3. Trim the leeks and halve them if they are too thick. Cut trimmed leeks into 2 cm sections.

4. Using soaked bamboo skewers, thread chicken pieces, alternating with leek sections.

5. Grill on the hibachi, basting often with the sauce.

Food notes:

This is classic pub food in Japan, where the salary men relax after work and munch on yakitori between sips of beer. The secret to a good yakitori is the sauce. Grated onion, cooked and reduced, is a natural sweetener. Adding maple syrup or honey will complement that sweetness.

Remember to remove all tendons in the chicken thigh, and cut the meat into cubes that can cook easily. If you don't like leeks, you can substitute with spring onions, or asparagus. Just choose a vegetable that will cook in the time it takes the chicken pieces to get crisp and tasty. Baste lightly as too much sauce on the meat will cause it to burn.

Recipe: S'mores

Ingredients (serves a party):

1 packet chocolate biscuits (Oreos)

1 packet plain marshmallows

Wooden skewers

Method:

1. Thread marshmallows on the skewers.

2. Toast over the fire. Be careful not to bring the marshmallows too close or they will flare up and melt.

3. When the marshmallows are nicely toasted, split open a chocolate biscuit and sandwich the marshmallow. Eat immediately.

Recipe: Salmon and nori cubes

Ingredients (serves 4):

400 g salmon fillet

2 sheets of nori (Japanese seaweed)

Salt and pepper

Dipping Sauce:

Juice of 1 lemon

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 bunch coriander, chopped

1 red chili, seeded and chopped

Sugar and salt to taste

Method:

1. Check salmon fillets for bones and remove with tweezers. Cut salmon into 2 cm cubes and season with salt and pepper.

2. Cut nori sheets into 2 cm by 6 cm rectangles. Use a pair of scissors.

3. Mix all the ingredients for the dipping sauce together and leave aside in the fridge for flavors to develop.

4. Carefully cover each salmon cube with a nori strip. The salmon will be moist enough to hold the seaweed together. If not, dampen the edges of the nori sheets so they stick to the salmon.

5. Thread nori-covered salmon cubes on bamboo skewers and grill on the hibachi. The natural oils in the salmon will crisp the cubes. Serve with dipping sauce.