Where There's Smoke. . .

The United States Surgeon General notwithstanding, smoking is not dangerous to your health-- unless you're on a regimen that restricts your intake of calories. Because food prepared in one of the smoke cookers introduced on the market recently is irresistibly tender, with a savory woodsy tang and an inviting burnished hue.

These nifty contrivances, perhaps the greatest boon to outdoor toques blanches since asbestos mitts, are a definite departure from previous smokers, barbecue pits and the newer domed grills. For one thing, they cook and smoke at the same time: for another, they provide a low, steady, moist heat. Even tougher cuts of beef and lamb are invariably tender when cooked by this method. A smoke cooker is also extremely versatile, accommodating a gratifying range of fare. from trout and game birds to a lusty New England clambake. And it's a rig for all seasons. Come Thanksgiving and Christmas, big. buxom, smoke-scented turkeys will grace the menu of many a household; and not just in the South.

What startling revolutionary concept, what technological breakthrough accounts for this great leap forward? Behold, ladies and gentlemen--a simple water pan! Or, more precisely, a pan of water or some other liquid cunningly placed between the food and the fire. The secret, it seems, was discovered by studying the techniques of ancient Chinese culinary wizards. Be that as it may, the liquid moderates the heat and generates vapors that slowly cook the food to a marvelous, melting tenderness.

Drippings, herbs, spices, vinegar, wine, cider, beer, bourbon, cola, lemon soda, juices--anything that goes into the pan--lend zest to the vapors that continuously baste the food. Several wood chips on the coals are, of course, the ultimate benediction, adding a tantalizing outdoorsy aroma. Hickory is the most popular wood, but aficionados are partial to the nuances of pecan, lemon, apple and cherry. South-westerners lean to mesquite, Kansans to corncobs and Eric Miller of New York State's Benmarl Winery recommends vine prunings, particularly for fish. Almost any hardwood will do except oily mountain mahogany. And resinous timbers such as pine, fir and cedar should not be used under any circumstances. Sticks about four inches by one inch, or fist-size chunks, burn well. Green wood can go directly onto the fire, but seasoned timber needs presoaking in water--a half hour to an hour is sufficient. Dry pieces and fine sawdust burn off too quickly.

There's a tendency among neophytes to oversmoke, so remember that the wood you choose is a flavoring agent, not a fuel. With experience, you'll learn the degree of pungency agreeable to your taste and it will vary with the item--heavier for trout, lighter for chicken and just a whiff for shrimp. You'll also get the knack of regulating the smoke. For instance, spacing wood chunks across the fuel pan results in a more even, lasting and, therefore, heavier smoke.

While not completely effortless, as the sales hype suggests, smoke cookers need little attention after they're loaded. They can be left untended for long stretches, once you're familiar with the variables and the predilections of your unit.

Charcoal is also a sometime thing, even varying from bag to bag within a single brand. Those made from hardwood, a point indicated on the label, are more dependable. Some instruction manuals advise letting the charcoal burn to gray ash before adding hickory and commencing to cook. It's not a mortal sin, but the cooker gets too hot, too quickly, evaporating the liquid prematurely. As soon as a core of coals is ignited, lay on the drained wood, assemble everything, working rapidly, and cover. The manuals also warn of dire consequences should you uncover during cooking. Lifting the hood every ten minutes is certainly counterproductive, but the penalties of an occasional peek appear to be overstated.

Recipe booklets with tentative cooking time and quantities of coal and liquid required come with each cooker, but they are less than precise. As a very rough rule of thumb, figure that one pound of charcoal will cook one pound of food in one hour. The major brands, Smoke 'N Pit and Cook 'N Ca'jun, both perform well. Cook 'N Ca'jun's segmented design permits easy access to the coal pan and its capacious coal and water pans are a distinct advantage, especially when doing a large roast or a turkey.

A variety of models is available with electric heating units instead of the basic charcoal. There's something to be said for them, particularly if you're performing on a terrace or another relatively enclosed stage. The electrics are cleaner and faster but lack the charisma of the charcoal units. Stackers and rib racks, available as extras, effectively double the capacity of a cooker and are worth buying. While smoking is the unique attraction, smoke cookers can easily be converted to other uses. You can steam a lobster, grill a steak, roast by dry heat, even bake bread in them.

For some reason, the scent of wood smoke brings out the Escoffier in backyard cooks, inducing all sorts of innovative turns. One enthusiast uses his smoke cooker as the theme for a noon-to-night jamboree--pulling a Merlinlike assortment of gastronomic delights out of the magic pot. Over the course of a day-- ribs, sausages, onions, ripe olives, oysters, cherry tomatoes, a block of cream cheese or gruyère, mushrooms, almonds, hardcooked eggs, chicken breasts or legs, a roast or a leg of lamb, a pan of clams, kabobs of all kinds, stuffed ported prunes--everything but the kitchen sink, which, fortunately, doesn't fit.

[recipe_title]Chinese tea duck[/recipe_title]

4-to-5-lb. duckling (completely thawed, if frozen)

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon Szechwan peppercorns (or 2 teaspoons black peppercorns), cracked

3 tablespoons medium-dry sherry

4 slices fresh ginger

2 scallions, including green part, cut into 2-in. pieces

1/2 cup tea leaves, black or oolong

Rinse duckling inside and out; wipe dry. Heat salt and pepper in small pan, stirring until salt darkens slightly. Add sherry. Rub mixture into duck, inside and out. Put ginger and scallions in cavity. Place duck in deep plate and cover with dish towel. Place flat plate on top and place something heavy (such as a weight) on it. Refrigerate for 1-1/2 to 2 days. Remove duck from refrigerator, wipe well inside and out with wet cloth. Pat dry, return ginger and scallions to cavity. Start fire in smoker with 6 to 7 lbs. charcoal. When briquettes are ignited, sprinkle with 1/4 cup dampened tea leaves. Fill water pan with water and add remaining 1/4 cup tea leaves. Put duck on rack. Cover; cook about 6 hours.

Option one: If you like fuller smoke, lay 1 stick hickory or fruitwood on coals.

Option two: Lightly rub duck inside and out with mixture of I tablespoon honey and I tablespoon water, or with orange juice, about 1/2 hour before cooking.

[recipe_title]Cold Smoked Trout[/recipe_title]

6 trout

Peanut oil

Salt, pepper, paprika

3 lemons, cut in wedges

Gut trout; wipe dry. Rub inside and out lightly with peanut oil or whatever type you prefer. Sprinkle cavity with salt, pepper and paprika. Place about 3 lemon wedges in row down cavity of each trout. Place fish, belly down, on grill. Cover and cook about 1 hour. If you like heavy smoke, use 3 good-sized sticks hickory with 4 lbs. charcoal and half a pan of water. When slightly cooled, refrigerate. The skin is not particularly appetizing and should be removed before serving. It comes off easily when fish is chilled. To bone, place trout on dinner plate, head facing left and backbone away from you. Remove head and tail. Steady fish with spoon and run fork or fish knife along entire length of backbone. Gently flip top fillet over with spoon and fork or knife and lift away bone structure. Garnish plate with water cress and lemon. Serve with horseradish sauce.

[recipe_title]Butter-Basted Smoked Shrimps[/recipe_title]

(Delicious with cocktails or white wine and as the first course for a fine dinner.)

1 lb. large shrimps, shelled and deveined

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 dashes Tabasco

Arrange shrimps in single layer in large piepan or improvise pan from heavy-duty aluminum foil. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over shrimps. Place pan on rack in smoker. Be careful not to overcook or oversmoke; 35-40 minutes should be sufficient and 1 stick hickory will generate enough smoke. For very delicate smoke, let hickory burn about 20 minutes before placing shrimps in cooker.

Neat trick: You can also cook shrimps on grill. First, marinate them in seasoned-butter mixture about 1/2 hour. Cross two grills, with rods running at right angles to each other, to form mesh. Lay marinated shrimps on top and proceed as above.

[recipe_title]Stuffed Game Hens[/recipe_title]

2 Cornish game hens or squabs

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons Scotch whisky (preferably single malt)

Salt, pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

1 small onion, chopped

2 game-hen gizzards, sliced

1-1/2 cups diced white bread

4 mushrooms, chopped

4 water chestnuts, sliced

2/3 cup milk

Salad oil

Marinate birds in mixture of soy, brown sugar, Scotch, salt and pepper for about 1 hour. Baste inside and out with mixture several times during the hour. Let dry in air while you prepare stuffing: Heat 2 teaspoons butter and sauté onion and gizzards until browned. Add remaining butter and when just melted, remove pan from heat. Stir in bread, mushrooms, water chestnuts, milk, salt and pepper. Stuff hens lightly with mixture; close openings; skewer or tie legs together. Brush skins with oil. Add remaining marinade to water pan with about 4 quarts water. Cooking time is about 3-1/2 hours and requires 5 to 6 lbs. charcoal and 2 to 3 sticks hickory.

[recipe_title]Golden Butterfish[/recipe_title]

8 fresh butterfish, heads and tails on

3 tablespoons salt

4 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2-1/2 cups cold water

Oil

Fresh rosemary or dill (optional)

2 lemons, in thin slices

Combine salt, vinegar and sugar with water; stir until dissolved. Immerse fish in brine cure; refrigerate 24 hours. Before cooking, pat dry inside and out and rub lightly with oil. Tuck sprig fresh rosemary or dill and couple of lemon slices in small cavity. This small fish takes to smoke, so try it first time with 3 sticks hickory or combination of hickory and vine prunings, if available. Cook about 1 hour. Serve with lemon wedges and green mayonnaise.

[recipe_title]Hickory-Smoked Bean Casserole[/recipe_title]

6 ozs. cooked ham, diced

3 1-lb. cans beans in tomato sauce

3 to 4 tablespoons mustard

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

2 dashes Worcestershire, or to taste

3 dashes Tabasco, or to taste

4 tablespoons chopped scallion greens or onions

1 tablespoon dark molasses

Brown ham quickly in skillet. Combine with other ingredients in heatproof casserole. Smoke-cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours while doing something else, such as beef roast, pork loin, chicken or pastrami.

Note: Manufacturers' brochures suggest placing casseroles on bottom rack, below roasts. This is not recommended, as you just might end up with your beans swimming in grease.

Operating a smoke cooker has been compared to a religious experience. "You just take it on faith." Happily, your trust is amply rewarded, because most things seem to work out beautifully. We'd say those venerable Chinese hash slingers were really on to something good.