Barbecue Beets and Bean Salad. Photo / Doug Sherring
Barbecue Beets and Bean Salad. Photo / Doug Sherring
Put a spring into your summer barbecues.
Being invited to a barbecue can sometimes stir up feelings of dread. A giant plate of blackened, bad-quality meat, plus salads that have been sitting in the sun, is not my idea of a good time or a good meal. It's important to keep things interesting with your salads andyour meat, if you're a meat-eater.
I love getting behind the barbecue if I'm hosting. Standing around tending meat and vegetables with a drink in hand and the sun shining is one of the greatest things about summer. Delicious salads are a must, as is fresh bread, ripe avocados and some tasty beverages.
When it comes to meat, I'd rather do a couple of things well. If delving into sausages, I'd rather eat one good-quality one than a heap of processed ones. It's worth investigating whether your local butcheries make their own sausages as some are experimenting with different flavour combinations.
I'm very jealous of my friends who have Weber charcoal barbecues. The smoky flavour that comes from charcoal is hard to beat. Normal barbecue grills do the job well though, as long as you're in a well-ventilated area and you have people to chat to while the tongs are in hand.
A delicious way to feed a crowd is with a butterflied lamb leg or butterflied whole chicken. Although, is there any going past a fillet of beef with horseradish if you're lucky enough to get your hands on it? I keep an eye out for the best-quality beef I can get on special. Cheaper cuts of beef, such as tri-tip, work well though, and wasabi mayonnaise is a good alternative to horseradish.
Spicy lamb chops are one of my all-time favourites. If you serve them with a couscous salad, you have a perfect mid-week meal you can prepare in next to no time.
I'll use any excuse to have asparagus for dinner during its short spring-early summer season and one of the best ways to eat it is on the barbecue. Vegetables shouldn't be neglected on the hot plate so get adventurous. I also cook haloumi whenever I can, so adding it to a skewer is a great non-meat alternative. The sweetness of cherry tomatoes goes nicely with this squeaky cheese for this recipe.
Remember that chilli is about enhancing flavour rather than making your eyes water. A good amount of heat will make lots of things infinitely more tasty. There are some great hot sauces around and they are a crucial addition to the condiment table. A good relish or chutney, some mustard or horseradish, a couple of good dressings and you're set. Barbecues with friends and family are some of the best buffets you can have, so fire it up and get experimenting.
