This week's Bite: Late summer salads and barbecues

Understandably, plant-based meat is a matter of serious concern to the Central Otago farming community I live in. Labour winning the election was too, but they are coming around nicely to that one. Things are changing and they have to change with it, and quickly because the quality of "meat that's not meat" products is rapidly improving, as this plant-based burger will prove.

My neighbours, Farmer Al and Farmer John, will not like this recipe but I am all about everything in moderation and I will be putting their finest beef on the barbecue tonight for Kathy Paterson's sirloin steak with tomato and red capsicum sauce.

Just when I thought I was saladed-out, Geoff and photographer Tam West provided an appealing selection, I am working my way through the very cheery sweetcorn, olive and radish salad, a vibrant red summer slaw and a spiced almond, caper and ricotta salad.

Meanwhile, I think I was at the same party as Annamae: her request for a Mexican topping sounds like something I enjoyed some time ago too so I am keen to try Peter Gordon's "fluffy, cheesy topping" idea for my next Mexican meal. It's a nice way to turn something like slow-cooked pulled chipotle beef in to a bake rather than serving as tacos.

Summer has gone but there's still a lot of barbecuing to be done using Ray McVinnie's set of late-summer barbecue ideas that make good use of the vege harvest