A HARTE APPETITE: MEMORIAL DAY SIGNALS BEGINNING OF COOKOUT SEASON

Memorial Day is just a little over a week away and that means the outdoor cooking season is about to begin. Kitchens will be moved into the open air and even those who wouldn't be caught dead cooking during the rest of the year will try their hand at the grill.

Cooking over a hot fire, of course, is as old as civilization itself and for some reason foods cooked outdoors over a grill still seem to taste better than when prepared indoors on the stove.

Since the secret to great grilling is often in the sauce, we're looking for recipes for sauces and marinades. They don't have to be complex. In fact, some of the best (like mustard blended with honey or a combination of frozen lemonade concentrate and soy sauce) are decidedly simple. On the other hand, others are more intricate, requiring a long list of spices, herbs, and other ingredients.

Whichever category your "special sauce" falls into, why not share it with our readers? We're interested in all kinds of sauces for all kinds of dishes. After all, as Alice B. Toklas reminds us, "What is sauce for the goose may be sauce for the gander, but is not necessarily sauce for the chicken, the duck, the turkey, or the guinea hen."

Send your favorite recipes for barbecue sauces and marinades to me at the newspaper and I'll pass along the best ones to be enjoyed all summer long.

In the meantime, let me share some favorite recipes for outdoor grilling. Though at our house there are few things more appreciated than a properly charcoaled burger, there's hardly anything we won't try grilling, whether Portobello mushrooms, polenta, or pizza. (Pizza dough is wonderfully absorbent of all those smoky flavors.) So here are a few recipes you might want to try when you light up the grill this Memorial Day.

Grilled Mustard Chicken

This simple, low fat recipe from Eating Well magazine has become one of our summer favorites. The combination of three mustards makes the chicken juicy and flavorful.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup coarse-grain (stone-ground) mustard

1/4 cup German mustard

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup apple juice

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

freshly ground black pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

In a shallow nonaluminum dish, combine all ingredients except chicken. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate for two to four hours in refrigerator, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from marinade, discard marinade, and cook chicken on a lightly oiled grill over a prepared charcoal fire for about 3 to 4 minutes per side or until done.

Grilled Green Onions

These go well with a thick, juicy steak. Get the biggest green onions you can find, or bunch together smaller onions so they won't fall through the grill.

Ingredients:

2-3 dozen large green onions

1 cup olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

salt to taste

Directions:

Trim onions leaving two inches of green top. Combine oil, garlic, pepper and salt in shallow dish. Add onions and stir to coat. Marinate refrigerated for one hour or overnight. Drain onions, discard marinade, and grill over hot fire, turning often, for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned on all sides.

Grilled Pound Cake

Why not do the entire meal on the grill, including dessert? This couldn't be easier. Serve the cake with grilled fruit (firm, ripe peach halves should take about two minutes to lightly brown over a hot fire) or your favorite ice cream (Ben & Jerry's recommended).

Ingredients:

1 (16 ounce) loaf pound cake

1/2 stick real butter, melted

Directions:

Slice cake into 1/2 inch slices. Brush both sides with butter. Grill about 30 seconds per side until lightly toasted. Serve with grilled fruit or ice cream. Top with ice cream sauce if desired.

Got a recipe you'd like to share with our readers? Are you looking for a recipe for something in particular? Send your recipes and requests to The Harte Appetite, c/o Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO., 63702-0699.

~Tom Harte is a professor at Southeast Missouri State University and writes a food column for the Southeast Missourian.