Form an orderly barbecue

I have never questioned a man's dominance over the barbeque. It begins at an early age, and goes much deeper than mere social conditioning. Girls play with Barbie dolls, boys play with fire. But portable, disposable barbecues, and their foolproof "lights with one match", encourage me to take on the task myself. I also think the charcoal that comes in a sealed paper bag to set alight makes life much easier for anyone who is terrified of the i dea of fiddling around with lighter fuel. So, armed with my tin tray it is ready, steady, cook. The instant sizzle as food hits the grill is a promise of delicious offerings. Whenever I have observed men barbecuing, it seems to take at least five of them for every chicken, and there is a lot of prodding, poking and discussion. Well, I'm afraid the cover's blown on that one. Vegetarians deserve to be especially well looked after. Barbecues are an area where many cooks come unstuck on inspiration, and I have been served too many desiccated vegetable kebabs in my time - though, in fact, there's nothing wrong with vegetable keb abs as such. Chunks of aubergine, red pepper and courgette, interspersed with mushrooms, basted with oil as they grill, should be smoky and succulent. Though a dollop of something rich and zesty will not go amiss: a pastis mayonnaise or tomato butter, ga rlicky Greek skordalia or Spanish romesco sauce to mask any accidental charring. Seafood is fast to cook and always looks wonderful. Thread small squid on to skewers, paint with chilli oil and grill until they puff up into cushions. King prawns should be cooked in their shells for the best flavour, and thick slabs of tuna can bemari nated and made into kebabs. You may also be partial to octopus, or sardines - line up these small fish in one of those barbecue clamps. But I suspect that most people, if asked to name their favourite barbecued food, would say chicken: a sticky thigh, with blackened, crispy skin, and much licking of the fingers. You may already have mastered the art of this one, so I give a recipe for quail instead. As for pudding, keep grilling while the fire dies down: whole figs; peeled and halved apples painted with melted butter and sprinkled with vanilla sugar; peaches; apricots; bananas. Having roasted your fruits on the grid, heat a small ladle of brandy or rum, ignite it and flambe the fruits. It does seem the most appropriate finale. The only drawback of the disposable barbecue is the cultural campfire bit. I can't see my father-in-law stoking up a foil tray for a rendition of "Old Man River" at 2am; something sturdier is required.

Marinated quails, serves 6 Quails might have been designed for barbecues. They cook quickly and evenly once slit in two, and there is no question of eating them with a knife and fork.

6 quails 2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp dark soy sauce (Kikkoman) 2 tbsp vegetable oil 18 tsp chilli powder 1 heaped tbsp minced ginger 1 level tsp minced garlic 12 tsp 5-spice powder

Halve the quails through the breastbones, using a large knife: begin by cutting through the flesh, then press downwards to break the bones. In a large bowl blend the honey and soy sauce, then add the remaining ingredients for the marinade, and steep the quails in this for at least an hour. When ready to barbecue them, spoon the marinade over the quail so they are well covered, and cook them breast side down first; they cook surprisingly quickly.

Tofu, tomato and onion kebabs with pastis butter, serves 4 (8 skewers) Tofu is excellent barbecued: it picks up beautifully on the smoky flavour, and turns crisp at the edges. Both the kebabs and the butter can be made in advance.

for the kebabs 400g/14oz tomatoes 450g/1 lb tofu, cut into 1-in cubes 275g/10oz red onions extra-virgin olive oil sea salt, black pepper

for the pastis butter 110g/40z unsalted butter 2 heaped tbsp chopped dill 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp Pernod or other pastis

To make the kebabs, remove a cone at the top of each tomato to take out the core, and quarter them. Peel the onions and cut into wedges. Thread the tofu, tomato and onion alternately on to 23-cm/9-in skewers. Place in a shallow dish, pour over plenty of olive oil and season, then turn them over and repeat. Barbecue these until they are nicely browned around the edges. To make the pastis butter, cream all the ingredients and seasoning in a food processor. Remove to a bowl, cover, and chill until required. As soon as the kebabs are cooked, dot them with plenty of butter and allow it to melt before serving