By Ernest Barteldes
Chicken legs (stock photo)
Since I came to New York over a decade ago, I have been to many barbecues, but since I have always lived in an apartment (most of the time without rooftop access), I have been unable to actually have one at home. Sure, one can always go to a park where grilling is allowed – and there are quite a few on Staten Island – but it’s not the same thing as doing it at home.
Last February, Renata and I moved into a new building not far from our previous home on Staten Island, and it not only has a nice patio with a great view of the Narrows where you can relax with a drink or just bask under the sun, but also a private garden where some residents (us included) have their own patches of land where they plant everything herbs, flowers and even some fruit. I noticed that someone kept a charcoal grill in the space, and I asked the administrators about any requirements for grilling in the space. When they said I didn’t need any special permission, I immediately bought a portable grill (on Amazon.com) and set out to plan a barbecue with a small number of friends.
Interestingly, the first person who I talked about barbecuing in the garden – and who egged me on to getting my own grill – could not make it to our first one due to a previous engagement so it was just the two of us plus three longtime friends.
I planned a simple menu for the day: Polish kielbasa, chicken thighs and wings plus peppers, onions and zucchini. I also made a potato salad (recipe below) to go as a side and that was pretty much it – and more than enough.
I bought the kielbasa at J. Baczynsky, a store known for producing their own sausage on premises – it is the best I have tasted outside of Poland (and the freshest, period). It has been around for decades, and probably will remain a mainstay in the neighborhood since – unlike other Ukranian and Polish stores in the area that are slowly disappearing – they own the building where they do their business from.
The day before the barbecue, I marinated the chicken in a mixture of oil, vinegar, garlic, onions and other spices and kept it covered overnight. I also prepared the potato salad the night before to allow the flavors to develop properly for the next day. I was thinking of making Brazilian rice and beans I later gave up – there was enough food for five people.
I must say it was a highly enjoyable experience – it had been a while since I had done this myself, but in the end the food cooked nicely. Eating barbecue made on a charcoal grill is incomparable to gas or electric grills since the flavors let out by the charcoal embed themselves to the meats and vegetables and makes for a much more enjoyable experience.
I hope that I get a few more chances to do this before summer is over
Potato Salad (stock photo)
Ernest’s potato salad
Ingredients
About 2 lb. potatoes, boiled until tender but still a bit firm
12 oz. Ranch dressing
3-4 celery stalks
One medium chopped onion, finely chopped
Chopped parsley and oregano to taste (fresh if you have it)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Mix all the ingredients until well blended, season with salt and black pepper to taste. Keep covered overnight in the refrigerator and serve.
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