Austin American-Statesman from Austin, Texas • 69

Food. Guidelines end guesswork over microwave pork roast Page E2 Reader shares recipe for special coconut pie Page E8 Section Austin American -Statesman Thursday, May 31, 1984 Summertime and the cooking is easy The great outdoors gives a cook plenty of breathing space No need to stew over heavy menus when fun beckons I By GERALD ETTER KNT News Service I.1 I PHILADELPHIA It's nigh onto summer and time to turn to the outdoors. One thing that mingles quite well with fresh air is the aroma of the barbecue. With this in mind, Claudia Roden, food writer and cooking teacher, has prepared Everything Tastes Better Outdoors (Knopf, This hardcover book is a festival of outdoor dining, with hundreds of recipes for barbecues, picnics, clambakes and even campfires. The first section deals with food well suited to picnies or for backyard or terrace dining.

In the second section, Roden writes about techniques of outdoor cooking, whether over an open wood fire or over charcoal. The third section is geared to the cramped galley of a boat or the limited capabilities of a camper's stove. Each section features recipes, from sauces and marinades to a Flemish carbonnade, a slow-cooked beef dish made with beer. Roden talks about Texas barbecue as well and recites some interesting lore on the development of outdoor cooking. Many of the preparations are described by technique, without ingredient measurements; some are written in narrative form.

Here are some recipes from the book: Basic American barbecue sauce 1 onion, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed i ll. II III! Ill- A A-', 3 hot stove when the sun is shining and the beach is beckoning." As head of Creative Services for Corning Glass Works, O'Donnell is always developing recipes, getting a lot of ideas from consumers, he meets on his travels. "I LISTEN and pass the information along to the marketing division of the company," he said. "I try to create recipes with ingredients people have in their cupboards. O'Donnell has created what he considers a fun summertime menu.

It starts with his cold carrot soup; the main course is his fiesta chili accompanied by tortillas and a mixed green salad. For a refreshing summer dessert, he suggests grapefruit granita. Fiesta chili 8 thick slices smoked bacon, diced 4 large onions, finely chopped 5 largeclovesgarlic, minced 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (or use equivalent canned) cup pure chili powder (leave put if you can't get pure) 2 cans whole tomatoes (28-32 ounces each), drained and broken up coarsely Va teaspoon sugar or 1 to 2 tablespoons grated carrot 1 heaping teaspoon oregano 1 heaping teaspoon cumin 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar 4-ounce can whole mild green chilies, cut into strips 3 to 4 pounds barely poached fish skinned, boned and broken into large pieces (Bass, halibut, snapper or any combination of shrimps and scallops) cup chopped cilantro or parsley In a 10-inch shallow casserole, render bacon and remove with a slotted spoon to paper towel-lined plate and reserve. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat. In this fat, saute onions and garlic until transparent.

Add jalapeno peppers and chili powder and cook three minutes. Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, simmer tomatoes with sugar or carrots, oregano, cumin and sherry vinegar for 15 minutes. Transfer this mixture to the shallow casserole containing onions and garlic. Add the reserved bacon and simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until thick. These steps may all be done ahead and dish may be refrigerated or frozen until ready to use.

Reheat slightly in microwave or on stove top while fish is poaching. Add strips of mild chilies and poached fish and sprinkle with cilantro or parsley before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings. See Summer, E8 By WINIFRED WALSH New York Times Service BALTIMORE Most cooks would rather work on a tan than a stew. That's why summer cooking should be light and easy, says Cornelius O'Doanell, food columnist and cookbook author.

But summer cooking should not be ordinary. "Summer entertaining can be far more exciting than hot dogs and hamburgers on paper plates or a can of tuna on a lettuce leaf," says O'Donnell, whose columns appear in Bon Appetitaad Woman's Day and who is the author of the book Cooking With Cornelius. "EVEN INFORMAL picnics and leisurely Sunday barbecues can be served with flair and imagination," says O'Donnell, who was more than willing to share some of his summer secrets. "Make the event special by creating an ethnic atmosphere, like a summer fiesta with a chili main dish, that uses whitefish filets and jalapeno peppers. It doesn't take long to fix and can be made ahead of time and put in the refrigerator or the freezer." When planning to eat outdoors, prepare foods that taste best at room temperature, advises O'Donnell.

These include quiche, marinated vegetables, pasta salads, pate, meatloaf, seasonal fruits and julienne salads made with tuna and other high-protein foods. O'Donnell recommends using a microwave oven during the hot months 35 percent of the country does, he says. "It requires less time in the kitchen and doesn't heat up the house." WHETHER USING a microwave or a conventional oven, O'Donnell suggesting cooking in the morning when it's cooler. "Then refrigerate the meal in a dish that can be reheated and brought to the table." He advises barbecue lovers to cook and cook some more while the coals are hot, preparing extra hamburgers, sausage patties, steaks or ribs that can be frozen and reheated in seconds in a microwave. "Or, cook chicken or turkey pieces early in the day in the microwave and then finish them on the barbecue to get an outdoor flavor," says O'Donnell, who holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and has also studied with James Beard.

"It makes sense to take the weather into consideration when planning summer meals," he said. "During a heat wave, avoid large roasts and turkeys that require hours in the oven. A cold soup like carrot soup and a seafood salad are the perfect fare. "Remember that summer is the season for bridal showers, graduation parties and family gatherings. No one wants to spend hours over a Staff Photo by Bob Daemmrich Anthony Spencer keeps an eye on a grill spread with sausages for a big outdoor Hill Country party.

A picnic of cold cuts, cheese and fruit means there's no need to cook at all. 2 tablespoons butter 1 to 2 teaspoons dry mustard 1 to 2 tablespoons-chili powder 1 cup ketchup Juice of 1 lemon cup vinegar Vi cup Worcestershire sauce 1 cup tomato juice Salt Cook the onion and garlic in the butter until soft. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, mix well, and cook for 5 minutes more. Skewered chicken livers Separate pieces of chicken liver. Season with salt and pepper and a dusting of cinnamon or allspice.

Thread onto skewers, and turn for about 5 minutes 4 inches away from the fire, brushing occasionally with melted butter until brown outside but still pink and juicy inside. Variation: An elegant version is to dribble sherry, port or armagnac on the cooked livers in the serving dish and to set it alight. Cold pasta with fried zucchini 1 pound small zucchini 5 tablespoons olive oil 1 to 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped A few mint leaves, finely chopped Salt and pepper 1 pound spaghetti Cut the zucchini along their lengths into very thin slices, and fry in hot oil with the garlic and mint, salt and pepper to taste. Boil the spaghetti in salted water until done al dente, and drain quickly. Mix with the zucchini in a salad bowl, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Variation: Add 2 tablespoons toasted almonds. Cooking out safely It's outdoor cooking time, and safety is vital. Here's a brief quiz from the Good Housekeeping Institute. Answer true or false, then check below: 1. Gasoline, kerosene and alcohol are safe substitutes for charcoal-lighter fluid.

2. There's no way to prevent fat flare-ups when grilling meats. 3. It's safe to store partially used charcoal for the next barbecue. 4.

When lighter fluid burns off before igniting the charcoal, it's safe to squirt on more and light it again. 5. It doesn't matter what you wear when you barbecue. The answers: 1 1. False.

Never use these or any other volatile fluids. They'll flare up out of control or explode. 2. True. Trimming fat from meat helps, but it's a good idea to keep a water-filled pump-spray bottle nearby so that you can lightly spritz coals when flames do arise.

Don't spritz coals in gas or electric grills; reduce heat instead. 3. False. Even after several days, it can still ignite spontaneously. After the barbecue, drown coals with water and, if possible, bury them.

4. False. It's best to saturate a few fresh coals with fluid in a separate metal container, then place these coals on the grill and ignite. Or stuff newspaper between coals and light 5. False.

Avoid loose-fitting aprons, flowing sleeves or any clothing that could brush across the grill and catch fire. To prevent burns when tending the grill, use heat-resistant barbecue mitts, and long-handled utensils. staff Graphics by Pam Tobey Cheesecake makes a sweet memory Recipes for Ellie's readers Vi-J Ellie Rucker If you think this smoked salmon spread is too classy for a brown bag lunch, try it for weekend brunch. Q. My daughter saved up a year and took her father and me to the Magic Time Machine for our anniversary.

She couldn't afford to stay too, but she had them serve us a delicious surprise the best pineapple cheesecake I have ever eaten. I wonder if you could please get me the recipe because I know we can never go back. T.F.A. A. Sounds like you have a pretty nice daughter.

The Magic Time Machine passed their recipe along in hopes that you'll make it for your daughter! Magic Time Machine's pineapple cheesecake Graham cracker crust 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 tablespoon melted butter Combine sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Stir with a fork, breaking up any lumps until the texture is somewhat coarse. Brush bottom and sides of a 10-inch cake pan with a generous coating of melted butter. Place graham cracker mixture in pan. Roll pan around to dust sides with mixture.

Evenly distribute the rest of the crumb mixture in the bottom. top of the pan to prevent the cake from rising out of the pan. Place cake in another deep pan and surround it with water. Bake cheesecake at 275 degrees for 40-55 minutes. When done, your finger should slide over the top of the cake without pulling the cake.

Remove cake pan from water, cool 30 minutes, and place in refrigerator. Avoid slicing until the next day. Top with chilled pineapple topping and a rosette of whipped cream. Pineapple topping 20 ounce can crushed pineapple with syrup 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons cold tap water 1 tablespoon cornstarch In a saucepan combine crushed pineapple with syrup and sugar. Simmer until sugar is dissolved.

In a separate bowl, dissolve cornstarch in cold tap water. Stir cornstarch mixture into pineapple! Continue simmering until syrup thickens and is clear. Cover and refrigerate. Top cheesecake with chilled pineapple topping before serving. Salmon, pistachios brighten spread Pineapple cheesecake filling 1 pound cream cheese l'j cups sugar 2 cups sour cream V3 teaspoons vanilla extract V3 teaspoon lemon extract 4 medium eggs Use a large mixer bowl and set electric mixer on medium speed.

Combine cream cheese and sugar. Scrape sides of bowl with a spatula and mix till smooth. Add sour cream and mix thoroughly at medium speed. Add eggs and mix. Turn mixer to high speed after adding vanilla and lemon extracts.

Mix only until mixture is smooth and free of lumps. Don't let mixture get too thin. Pour filling into pan lined with graham cracker crust, stopping 3 inch from the 3-ounces smoked salmon, flaked or finely chopped cup chopped pistachios 3 to 4 teaspoons lemon juice Croissants, brioches or bagels Beat cream cheese with electric mixer until fluffy. Add smoked salmon, pistachios and lemon juice. Mix well.

Makes about 1 cups spread. Spread on croissants, brioches or bagels. Special to the American-Statesman Make tomorrow different Brighten the brown bag with a spiffy spread of salmon, cream cheese and pistachios, served on croissants or bagels. Too classy for work? Have it for brunch on a weekend morn. So easy but so irresistible.

Smoked salmon spread 8-o nee package cream cheese, softened.