WHILE shopping for a barbecue, it's easy to get carried away by fuel and to forget about the food. According to Thomas Feller, the author of Barbecue Cookbook, we need to think about the barbecue as a cooking system in its own right.

Although heating food over hot coals is a simple way to cook quickly, it can also produce much more impressive results. All basic food products can be barbecued — including eggs, vegetables, fruit and seafood — but getting the best flavours involves a little preparation.

Choose high-quality, dense charcoal for a really good, long burn, then wait until the embers are red and very hot before adding the food.

Here are a couple of recipes to help fire your imagination:

Beef kefta kebabs

(Serves 6)

1kg lean minced beef

2 red onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 standard pack fresh coriander

1 standard pack fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 small hot red chilli pepper

2tsp ras-el-hanout (Moroccan mixed spice, also called couscous spice)

2tsp ground cumin

6tbsp olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 skewers (if using wooden ones soak them in water for one to two hours to prevent them burning)

Method: Strip the leaves from the coriander and parsley and chop them finely. Cut the chilli pepper in half, discard the seeds and white membrane, and finely chop the flesh.

Mix all the vegetables and herbs with the minced meat. Season with the spices and salt and pepper, and mix all the ingredients. Wet your hands, form the mixture into 18 little sausages and thread on the skewers. Brush them with oil.

Place on the a hot barbecue. Cook for five minutes then turn them over and cook for five minutes on the other side. Serve immediately.

Grilled corn

(Serves 6)

6 corn cobs complete with husks

1½ standard packs fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 clove garlic, chopped

Lightly-salted butter at room temperature

Freshly-ground black pepper

Kitchen string

Method: Chop the parsley leaves and put them into a bowl with the garlic, butter and pepper. Mix to a smooth paste with a fork. Spread the butter on the corn then wrap the husks back over the cob and tie with string. If corn cobs with the husks still attached are unavailable, wrap them in kitchen foil.

Lay the corn on a hot barbecue and cook for 20 minutes, turning once.

Marshmallow and strawberry kebabs:

(Serves 6)

24 marshmallows

18 small strawberries with stems attached

6 skewers (soak wooden ones in water for 1-2 hours to prevent them burning)

Method: Assemble the kebabs with four marshmallows alternating with three strawberries. Lay them on the barbecue for a scant two minutes. Serve immediately.