Meat and Game

All cynicism about barbecues melts away at the first sniff of well marinated meat, fish or vegetables cooking over charcoal in the open air. Any good cut of meat is suitable: thick slices from across a boned leg of lamb, pig’s kidneys cut almost in half and held in a butterfly shape with a couple of skewers, whole quail split along the backbone and squashed flat. Even cubes of the most appallingly flavourless modern chicken come back to life if they are soaked in good olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and seasoning for a couple of hours, pushed on to skewers with the odd bayleaf, then lightly charred.