We’ve spent so much time indoors lately that we’re ready for some serious outdoor eating, here we have four easy BBQ ideas for dinner. Whether you fancy something light or have a whopping appetite, we’ll inspire you to deliver the best barbecue ever; enjoy!
Salt-bath sardines
Serves 4 (as a starter)
Sardines and mackerel are two of the very best BBQ fish, although my personal favourite is the sardine! Encased in sea-salt, quickly grilled, (guts-in) then drizzled with a strong green extra virgin olive oil with a hearty squeeze of limes, simply sublime!
Ingredients
12 large sardines
1 pack of coarse sea salt
25 ml EV olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
Sea salt & rainbow peppercorn to taste
Method
Wash the sardines and gut or not (adds flavour)
Sprinkle a good layer of sea salt on foil and place sardines on top, then sprinkle more salt over, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Remove sardines from fridge, brush off most of the salt and place on a fish grill tray
Mix oil and juice of ½ lime and brush over the fish
Grill on high heat on grill tray, about 4-5 minutes per side, baste with oil & lime juice.
Serve with remaining oil & lime juice, season with sea salt & rainbow peppercorn.
Asparagus with Parmigianino & lime
Serves 4 (as a starter)
I think this is one of the simplest, yet most impressive alfresco snacks or starters that you can prepare. I prefer baby or young asparagus with lots of Parmigianino, but please remember to shave; do not grate!
Ingredients
16 Asparagus spears
Juice of 1 lime
30ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
15ml Balsamic vinegar
A small wedge of Parmigianino Reggiano
2 tsp’s Sea salt
1 tsp Cracked black pepper
Method
Mix lime juice, oil and balsamic plus ½ salt & black pepper
Coat asparagus and grill slowly on medium, turn frequently and baste occasionally. Remove asparagus once cooked through, lightly cover with shavings of Parmigianino and drizzle remaining lime, oil & balsamic, season with salt & black pepper to taste.
Classic chicken ciabatta
Serves 2
This is a long-time Barbi favourite. Seemingly easy but can be deceptively difficult to get perfect! A fruity, slightly exotic recipe that I created following a somewhat rambling tour around Tuscany – one too many Sangiovese’s and you’ve burnt the Ciabatta!
Ingredients
2 skinless chicken breasts
1 large Ciabatta
15g sundried tomatoes
1 Mango, coarsely chopped
25ml mango juice
10ml white wine vinegar
25ml extra virgin olive oil
1 lime, juiced
25g grated ginger
25g brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 or 2 birds eye chillies, finely chopped & deseeded
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 tsp mixed turmeric & paprika
Splash Worcestershire sauce
Sea salt & black pepper to taste
Method
For the marinade; mix ½ chilies, ginger & garlic with ¾’s lime juice & vinegar plus ½ oil add pinch of turmeric/paprika, black pepper & sea salt.
For the sauce; Use rest of chili, garlic & ginger, 1/2 toasted sesame seeds & brown sugar, mix with remaining lime juice into a paste, slowly add mango juice and chopped mango. Season with Worcestershire sauce
Marinate chicken and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, remove and sprinkle remaining sesame seeds and sugar over chicken.
Slice sundried tomato in strips and cut ciabatta/ciabatinni length ways, coat cut face of ciabatta/ciabatinni with olive oil.
Coat chicken with sauce and sear both sides on hottest section of the BBQ, then remove to medium heat, basting with sauce. Turn occasionally.
Oil grill bars, place ciabatta cut face down on medium heat to warm through.
Top the chicken with sun dried tomatoes and return to hottest section. Also transfer ciabatta to hottest section and sear outside. Remove ciabatta, drizzle with oil, place chicken on top, add remaining sauce and sundried tomato, garnish with rocket & basil and add top ciabatta.
Best-ever burger with Pancetta, avocado & blue cheese butter
Serves 4 (or 2 very hungry people)
How the humble burger has grown-up, so discount it at your peril. Food snobs may try to decry, but I think a properly made and grilled burger, with proper add-ons is just about unbeatable – and for me the only way to eat – rare in a bun using your hands!
Ingredients
500g best fillet steak, minced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped/deseeded
1 tbsp sea salt
2 tsp’s rainbow peppercorn, crushed
8 rashers pancetta
1 Avocado, peeled, de-stoned and sliced
125g unsalted butter
75g blue cheese
4 sesame buns
Method
Soften butter and mix with blue cheese, form into roll and chill
Mix steak mince, onion, chilli, salt & peppercorn and form into four patties
Sear patties on both sides on high then grill 3-5 minutes per side on medium heat
Grill pancetta rashers on foil tray on high heat
Halve buns and light brush cut half with olive oil then warm through on medium heat.
Place slices of avocado on the pancetta rashers and allow to warm through
Slice butter roll and place one slice on each bun base, then build with patty, another slice of butter, pancetta and avocado – serve immediately to rapturous applause!
Thanks go to National Barbecue Week for these recipes.
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About the Author / 50connect Editor
