FOOD & WINE : Barbecue, Italian Style : Dishes of Naples and Sicily Are Perfect for Dining--and Cooking--Alfresco

ONE OF THE greatest insults you can hurl at an Italian host or hostess is to say the meal you just shared was like “ un pranzo da ristorante “ -- a restaurant meal--because everyone knows that the best food is always found at home.

While restaurant food is meant to dazzle with rare ingredients, complex technique or splashy presentation, good home cooking is meant to be familiar. Its purpose is to soothe and comfort those who have the luck to eat it.

In the summertime, the best way for most of us to relax while entertaining is to take the cooking outside. Grilling in Italy today, however, remains a bit more rugged than our back-yard barbecuing, according to Antonio Orlando, chef-owner of Fresco restaurant in Glendale. In his native Naples, people are more likely to cook most of the meal indoors and then take it, along with fish or meats, to a beautiful spot in the country. There, they dig a hole in the ground, line and surround it with bricks and build a fire with the branches of an oak tree. The food is then placed on a grate over the flames to absorb the flavors of wood and smoke.

This Italian grilled dinner, with its swordfish, sweet tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, lemons, honey, figs and greens, is typical of summer eating around Naples and Sicily. It also reflects, in the oregano and lemon marinade and figs and honey for dessert, the influence of Greek cuisine on Sicilian food.

In Italy, grilling birds and fish simply, with little more than olive oil and lemon as seasoning, is a centuries-old tradition. Archestratus, a 4th-Century-BC food writer, advised that good, fatty fish should be “sprinkle(d) with a little salt only and baste(d) with oil. For it contains within itself alone the reward of joy.”

Swordfish, the fatty fish par excellence, is perfect for grilling. The best swordfish in Italy is still caught, as it was in ancient times, by harpoon in the Straits of Messina, the waters separating Sicily from the mainland. The tastiest fish are found in spring and early summer, when they migrate from Arctic waters to the warm Mediterranean to spawn.

To entertain in true Italian style, however, it really is not necessary to dig a hole in the ground or harpoon a swordfish. More important is where you serve it.

The ideal spot for such a relaxing meal is alfresco, near the grill, so the cook can take part in the conversation. After all, good talk is also an important Italian tradition.

FRUITED WHITE WINE

1 bottle Italian white wine, such as pinot grigio 1 banana, thinly sliced 1 medium ripe peach, pitted and thinly sliced 1/2 cup green seedless grapes 3 mint sprigs 1 1/2 cups cold sparkling water, such as Pellegrino Combine white wine, banana, peach, grapes and mint in pitcher. Cover and chill 24 hours.

Immediately before serving, pour in sparkling water. Serve in chilled wine glasses. Makes 6 servings.

CROSTINI WITH CHOPPED TOMATOES

4 Roma tomatoes, diced 1 garlic clove, minced 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 loaf Italian country bread, cut into 1/2-inch slices Olive oil for brushing

Combine tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper in small mixing bowl. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour or longer.

Preheat grill. Brush olive oil on bread and grill until golden and toasty on both sides. Spoon chopped tomatoes on bread and serve. Makes 6 servings.

GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH SMOKED MOZZARELLA

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 teaspoons sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, minced 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 1 small clove) Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 medium eggplant, unpeeled, with stem removed Olive oil for brushing 6 ounces smoked mozzarella

Preheat grill.

To make dressing: In small mixing bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, vinegar, tomatoes and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut the eggplant crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, and brush both sides with olive oil. Grill one side until eggplant turns black and grill marks appear, about 4 minutes.

Cut smoked mozzarella into 8 slices. Turn eggplant over, place slice of cheese on each piece and grill another 4 minutes or until cheese melts. If you are grilling outside, cover the grill. Transfer eggplant to plates with spatula, spoon dressing over each and serve. Leftover dressing can be spooned over plain grilled eggplant. Makes 4-6 servings.

SWORDFISH SKEWERS WITH LEMON AND PEPPERS

2 pounds swordfish, about 1 1/2 inches thick Marinade 1 yellow bell pepper, cored and seeded 2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded 1/2 red onion, peeled 3 lemons Salt to taste 1/4 cup fresh, unflavored bread crumbs

If using bamboo skewers, soak 6 in water 30 minutes, remove and place in freezer (this prevents burning and splintering on grill).

Remove any skin and cut swordfish into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Add fish to marinade; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes, turning pieces occasionally.

Preheat grill and brush grate with oil. While grill is heating, cut peppers into 1-inch squares and onion into 3 wedges. Halve lemons and cut into 12 small wedges. Remove the fish from refrigerator.

Assemble skewers by alternating pieces of fish with 2 kinds of peppers, beginning and ending each with sturdy wedge of lemon. Separate onion into 6 pieces, and place one in center of each skewer. Sprinkle with salt and brush with marinade. Scatter bread crumbs on plate. Dip each skewer in crumbs to lightly coat.

Grill over high flame. Using tongs and pot holder, turn skewers every few minutes to cook evenly until fish is opaque and vegetables are charred on edges, about 10 minutes total. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Marinade

1/2 cup olive oil 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1/2 cup chopped fresh oregano or marjoram

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper and oregano in shallow ceramic or glass container. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

GRILLED NEW POTATOES

2 pounds small new potatoes, with skins, washed 1/4 cup olive oil Coarse salt for sprinkling

Bring large pot of salted water to boil. Cook potatoes just until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and pat dry. Pour olive oil into small bowl and roll each potato in oil to lightly coat. Sprinkle with salt.

Preheat grill. Grill over high heat until charred all over, about 7 minutes per side. Makes 6 servings.

BITTER GREENS AND RADISHES

2 bunches arugula 1 bunch watercress 1/2 head escarole or chicory 1 small head Boston lettuce 12 radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced 1/2 cup black olives cured with herbs, such as provencal 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Remove all stems and cores from the leafy greens. Fill a sink with cold water, and soak greens about 15 minutes to remove soil. Lift out leaves, and shake to remove excess water. Pat dry with paper towels, or dry in salad spinner (washed and dried salad greens may be reserved in open plastic bags in refrigerator up to two hours).

Tear greens into bite-size pieces and place in salad bowl. Add radishes and olives and toss.

To make dressing: Rub inside of small bowl with garlic clove; discard garlic. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Toss salad with 1/2 cup of dressing. Add more dressing in small increments as needed, being careful not to overdress the salad. All of the leaves should be evenly coated; there should be no pool of liquid in bottom of bowl. Extra dressing can be stored, covered, in refrigerator. Makes 6 servings.

WARM FIGS WITH HONEY

12 figs, with skins, washed Honey for drizzling

Cut figs in half lengthwise. Grill over medium to low flame until soft and warm, about 3 minutes per side. Place on plates, cut side up, and drizzle lightly with honey. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Food stylist: Norman Stewart; prop stylist: Jill Sharp-Miller