Moroccan lamb burgers, grilled halloumi and pistachio salsa, from Dish magazine. Photo / Josh Griggs
Moroccan lamb burgers, grilled halloumi and pistachio salsa, from Dish magazine. Photo / Josh Griggs
Try our pick of easy dinner dishes that pair perfectly with warm sunny afternoons.
Beer can chicken with white barbecue sauce
A pretty hilarious way of cooking a chicken using a partially filled can of beer that is placed in the chicken's cavity prior to cooking. It results in juicy,tender meat with a deeply golden skin.
SERVES: 6 INGREDIENTS
1 fresh chicken (I used Bostock Brothers) 1 can beer 2 whole peeled cloves garlic, lightly smashed 1 sprig herbs, e.g. thyme or rosemary
SPICE RUB 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 teaspoon each ground cumin, smoked paprika, English mustard powder and salt 4 teaspoons olive oil
TO SERVE White Barbecue Sauce (see recipe below) handful rocket (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. SPICE RUB: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Pat the chicken dry with kitchen towels. Rub the cavity with some of the spice rub then spread the remaining rub all over the skin of the chicken.
2. Drink or pour out a third of the beer then push the garlic and herbs into the can. Lower the chicken onto the can so it's sitting upright with the can in the cavity. Place in a shallow heatproof dish and pour in enough water to cover the base of the dish.
3. Place the dish on the barbecue and lower the lid. Cook over a medium heat for about 1¼ hours, or until fully cooked, periodically adding more water to the dish so it doesn't dry out.
4. When the chicken is cooked, remove from the heat. Leave the chicken to rest for 10 minutes then carefully remove the chicken from the can. Cut into pieces and serve with rocket and the white barbecue sauce.
WHITE BARBECUE SAUCE
1. A tangy, creamy twist on a traditional tomato-based barbecue sauce. It's delicious with grilled chicken, pork, lamb, fish, burgers, potato salads, coleslaw, green salads, baked potatoes…
INGREDIENTS
¾ cup good-quality mayonnaise 2 tablespoons malt vinegar or apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons each runny honey, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon hot mustard (I used Al Brown's Old Yella Habanero Mustard) 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon sea salt
Whisk everything together in bowl until smooth. Makes about 1 cup.
Beer can chicken with white barbecue sauce, from Dish magazine. Photo / Josh Griggs
Moroccan lamb burgers, grilled halloumi and pistachio salsa
Spiked with aromatic herbs and topped with grilled haloumi and a fragrant salsa, this could easily be your star summer burger.
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS
BURGERS 1 cup panko breadcrumbs ⅓ cup milk 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon each ground cumin and sweet smoked paprika ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 large egg, beaten big handful fresh coriander, finely chopped sea salt and ground pepper 600 grams lamb mince
SALSA ½ cup pistachios, divided in half ½ cup each packed basil and mint 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon sea salt ⅓ cup olive oil
TO SERVE 200 grams haloumi, sliced 4 hamburger buns kasundi or other tomato relish, rocket, strips of cucumber and thick plain yoghurt, to serve
DIRECTIONS
1. BURGERS: Combine all the ingredients except the salt and pepper and lamb in a large bowl and leave for 5 minutes. Season, add the lamb and mix well. Form 4 patties slightly larger than the buns. Chill until ready to cook but remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
2. SALSA: Put half the pistachios and all the remaining ingredients in a food processor and blend until well chopped but not totally smooth. Roughly chop the remaining pistachios and stir through.
3. To cook and serve: Cook the burgers on a preheated barbecue over a medium heat for 4-5 minutes each side, or until cooked through. Heat a little oil on the barbecue plate and cook the haloumi on both sides until golden. Spread the bottom bun with tomato relish and layer up with rocket, cucumber, a burger and haloumi. Top with a spoonful of yoghurt and a dollop of pistachio salsa. Add the tops and serve immediately.
Moroccan lamb burgers, grilled halloumi and pistachio salsa, from Dish magazine. Photo / Josh Griggs
Barbecued pork, sweet mango and herb salad
The spice marinade is also delicious on chicken and prawns.
SERVES: 4-6
INGREDIENTS
2 teaspoons each ground coriander and ground fennel 1 teaspoon ground turmeric and ground cumin 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger ½ teaspoon ground chilli 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 4 pork scotch steaks sea salt
DRESSING 3 tablespoons each fish sauce and lime juice 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 long red chilli, finely chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed
TO SERVE 1 large mango, peeled, sliced 1 cup bean sprouts 2 spring onions, thinly sliced 1 small telegraph cucumber, halved, seeded, sliced ½ cup each mint, coriander, and Thai basil leaves 40 grams crispy pork crackling, roughly chopped (see Cook's note)
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix the spices, garlic, ginger, chilli and the oil together then rub over the pork. Cover and chill for 1-24 hours. Season the pork with sea salt and cook on a preheated barbecue or in a little oil in a heated large sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Cook for 3 minutes each side, or until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes.
2. DRESSING: Stir all the ingredients together to dissolve the sugar.
3. TO SERVE: Arrange half the mango, bean sprouts, spring onions, cucumber and the herbs on a large platter. Top with the sliced pork then the remaining salad ingredients. Spoon the dressing over everything then top with the pork crackling if using.
Cook's note: Cooked pork crackling is available at Farro, other food stores and Asian supermarkets.
Barbecued pork, sweet mango and herb salad, from Dish magazine. Photo / Josh Griggs
