Barbequing isn’t simple in the midst of a Canadian winter, but sometimes, you just have to have a grilled steak! As you can see in the photo, once you shovel the snow around the barbeque, sweep the snow off the top of the barbeque, and heat it up, there is nothing like hearing the sizzle of a well-marinated steak in 20 degrees below zero weather!

This steak marinade recipe was developed by the Beef Information Center. It is best to double the recipe and use it each time you want to marinate less tender cuts of beef, like blade steaks. After marinating the steak, recycle the marinade, pour into a freshly washed jar with a tight-fitting lid and keep refrigerated for future use.

Best to marinate steaks in this rosemary-scented marinade for 24 hours, refrigerated. Steaks should be completely covered by the marinade. Another tip: thaw frozen steaks in the marinade, to minimize loss of juices.

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
• freshly ground pepper

In a glass bowl, mix together all ingredients, adding pepper to taste. Store, refrigerated, in jar with tight-fitting lid.

Marinate steaks in mixture 24 hours, making sure meat is fully covered by sauce; turn meat twice. Pour used marinade into freshly washed jar and refrigerate for future use. Keeps 8 to 10 weeks, refrigerated.

Makes about 1 ¾ cup. (425 ml)

…. not talking the one you are thinking of! This is a delicious Cypriot cheese – Halloumi, grilled and served as an appetizer or a vegetarian main course. Halloumi is available at Middle Eastern shops and more recently has been found at mainstream grocery stores. It is found in sealed plastic wrapping and has a reasonably long shelf-life, which means you can always have a pack tucked away in the fridge.

The first recipe is best served as an appetizer, served with an unusual and tangy vinaigrette that is so scrumptious, guests wipe their plates clean of every last drop with the accompanying baguette slices.

Grilled Halloumi Cheese with Lime and Caper Vinaigrette

Serves 2 as a light lunch, or 4 as a starter

Ingredients

1 halloumi cheese
1 - 2tablespoons olive oil

For the dressing:

juice and zest 1 lime
1 heaped tablespoon capers, drained
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 heaped teaspoon grain mustard
1 level tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly milled black pepper

To garnish:

few sprigs coriander

First of all, unwrap the cheese and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Then, using a sharp knife, slice it into 8 slices, including the ends. Now prepare the dressing by simply whisking all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.

When you’re ready to serve the halloumi, brush oil lightly on both sides of each slice of Halloumi and grill quickly - they take 1 minute on each side to cook, so by the time the last one’s on the grill, it will almost be time to turn the first one over. They need to be a good golden colour on each side.

Serve them straight away on warmed plates with the dressing poured over and garnished with coriander. This is delicious served with fresh baguette slices or warm pita.

This recipe is taken from Delia Smith’s Summer Collection

Women are increasingly embracing gas and propane grills, encroaching on that final frontier of testosterone. Wives are not only making the final decision on the grill of choice and paying for the privilege, but they are cooking the meat, vegetables, and the dessert on the barbeque as well. Barbeque classes are held on the premises, and it is primarily women who have taken them, learning things they didn’t know they could do with a grill.

“Women read the manual, unlike most men, who don’t.” The newer grills are a lot more user friendly than before. Most of them now have electronic ignition, which basically is just like starting up your indoor range. It has eliminated the fear of jumping flames, the experience many women had from the old-style grills.

Gas or propane? Slaney says “natural gas is a hotter burn and 75% cheaper than propane. Once you put out the additional cost of getting a gas line to your deck or patio for the barbeque, it outweighs the cost of tanks of propane.” And of course, there is never the danger of the hissing of an empty tank just as your company arrives for dinner.

June, traditionally is the beginning of barbeque season for most outdoor cooks. However, more and more people are grilling year round. Frank Slaney from Gears and Grills emphasizes that barbequing is not just for hamburgers. You can bake cookies and cakes on it as well, “if you can do it in an oven, you can barbeque it, as the barbeque acts as a convection oven”. Slaney roasts his Christmas turkey on his barbeque and emphatically urges that “once you try the turkey on the bbq, you wouldn’t go back to oven roasting ….it is so deliciously moist.”

To sum it up, Slaney adds “I would barbeque anything I can get – there is nothing that a barbeque can’t do.”