A complete BBQ menu to enjoy during the weekend heatwave
This is how Michelin-starred chef Skye Gyngell puts on a maximum impact, minimum effort barbecue at home, writes Keely Doll
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Your support makes all the difference.In case you didn’t already have an excuse to dine al fresco this weekend given it’s National BBQ Week, there’s also a heatwave. Eating and drinking indoors will be seriously frowned upon for the next few days, so you’d better get prepared.
Enter Michelin-starred chef Skye Gyngell, who hopped the pond to share her elegantly simple cooking with us here in London. The former Petersham Nurseries head chef opened her own restaurant, Spring, in 2015, and earlier this year expanded it to included an organic, fresh produce shop.
So she knows a thing or two about keeping fine dining simple.
Teaming up with Australian wine maker Andrew Peace Wine, here’s her top 10 tips for a no-faff barbie, and three recipes (with all-important wine pairings, of course) you should go and buy the ingredients for right now.
Ten tips for a perfect summer barbecue
1. Food cooked over an open fire has a different flavour altogether than food cooked on the stove or in the oven. For the best flavour use sustainably sourced British charcoal, which burns longer, so you’ll use less, and isn’t packed with chemicals like mass-produced charcoal is.
2. Make sure your meat is room temperature before you cook it – meat cooked straight from the fridge will take a lot longer.
3. It’s really important to allow meat to rest once it is cooked – to improve the texture and flavour.
4. All manner of things can be cooked – not just sausages and burgers but all the lovely robust summer vegetables such as aubergines and red peppers.
5. One thing that you can try quite easily that is really different is to grill little game birds. Things such as quail are fantastic because they are naturally so tender and succulent. First, you need to spatchcock them, which you do by taking the backbone out (or ask your butcher to do it for you). This leaves them flat and easy to cook. Season them the day before, then put them in a hot oven for about eight minutes and grill them on the barbecue on both sides for about two to three minutes.
6. Any of the small, oily fish like sardines or mackerel are cheap and delicious when grilled. They’re also easy to handle on the barbecue and served with lovely sauces such as salsa verde or aioli to spoon over the top.
7. Finally, the key to a successful barbecue with friends or family is to do as much of the prep as you can in advance so you’re not dashing in and out of the kitchen, but free to sit back and relax with a glass of wine!
Garlicky prawns with parsley, lemon and radicchio
With all the flavours of the summer, these juicy prawns drizzled in butter and topped with fresh herbs and leaves make an impressive centrepiece without being difficult to make. It can be prepared ahead leaving you to relax and enjoy a glass of wine with your guests. Served with crusty bread that can be griddled on the barbecue for a smoky flavour – they’re a real showstopper dish for outdoor entertaining.
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
2kg fresh raw prawns
100g unsalted butter
1 tsp of dried red chilli, crumbled finely
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
Juice of one lemon
1 tbsp of dry sherry (fino)
Leaves of radicchio
Crusty bread, torn or thickly sliced
Method
1. Start by peeling the prawns, discard the shell but reserve the heads. Place a large, heavy based pan over a medium to low heat. When warm add the butter and allow to melt.
2. Once the butter is melted and beginning to foam add the prawn heads. When they are bright red squeeze the juice from the heads into the pan (the easiest way to do this is by using tongs).
3. Remove the heads and discard. You will be left with a beautiful, flavourful sauce that will really enhance the flavour of the final dish. Add the chilli and garlic, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 30 seconds or so, being careful that the garlic does not burn.
4. Add the prawns and cook for 1 minute or until just translucent.
5. Squeeze over the lemon juice, add the sherry and parsley and stir well to combine.
6. Finally add the radicchio.
7. Meanwhile, griddle on the barbecue or lightly toast chunks of the bread until slightly charred / browned.
To serve: Enjoy al fresco, by spooning onto a warm sharing plate and serving immediately with crusty bread.
And to drink: You don’t need to pair with expensive wines; serve with a fresh white wine such as Andrew Peace Signature Chardonnay. It’s seriously refreshing and rich white with subtle flavours of tropical fruit and a splash of delicate citrus (£5.50, Co-op).
Tips: If radicchio isn’t available substitute with any fresh greens and it will be equally delicious.
Don’t skip cooking the prawn heads as they add so much flavour to this dish. This also makes a great pasta sauce – simply cook some pasta and once cooked add to the pan with the prawns and toss together well to combine.
Pepper Piedmontese
This colourful dish screams summer and can be prepared ahead so it’s ideal for entertaining in the garden with friends or family. A classic Mediterranean recipe, it can be served as a starter, as a light lunch or side dish or on a bed of lentils to make a more substantial meal.
It can easily be adapted for vegetarians by leaving out the anchovies and for vegans without the cheese.
Makes: 4 serving
Ingredients
8 ripe tomatoes
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 red peppers
12 basil leaves
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
6 good quality tinned anchovies in oil, drained and finely chopped
2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
Lentils (optional)
Mozzarella or goat’s cheese (optional)
For the basil oil:
1 large bunch basil
Sea salt
100ml extra virgin olive oil
Method
Place a large pot of salted water onto boil. Using a small paring knife, remove the core from each tomato and mark a small cross on the base. Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water. The skin will quickly curl back at which point remove them from the water and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Halve the peppers lengthwise and remove the core, seeds and white pith. Lay the pepper halves skin side down in a shallow baking tray that will hold them comfortably.
When the tomatoes are cool enough to peel, cut in half and remove the skin and seeds. Roughly chop the flesh. Tear the basil leaves into pieces.
Fill the pepper halves with the pieces of tomato, garlic slices, basil and anchovies. They should be generously filled. Drizzle with olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bake on the middle shelf of your pre heated oven for 35 mins or until the peppers are soft and slightly blackened around the edges but still holding their shape.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
To make the basil oil: Remove the basil leaves from their stalks and place in a food processor, add a good pinch of salt and drizzle the olive oil in through the funnel at the top. It should be sludgy, very green and aromatic.
To serve:Simply arrange the peppers on a big serving plate and spoon over the basil oil. For a heartier dish, serve the peppers on a bed of lentils.
And to drink: Choose a full-bodied red to complement the sweetness of the peppers and the aromas of the basil. Blended from Shiraz with a touch of Tempranillo, the Andrew Peace Signature Shiraz is smooth, with typical ripe black fruit flavours with a hint of cherry (£5.50, Co-op).
Tips: These peppers are great as part of a larger meal, especially a barbecue but can also be served on their own. I often add a little mozzarella or goat's cheese.
They are best on the day of serving and should always be served at room temperature as their flavour is much better.
Do not be tempted to omit the anchovies even if you think you don’t like them – they add a depth of flavour that cannot be replaced – it won’t taste fishy just perfectly seasoned!
Grilled lamb cutlets with asparagus, horseradish and salsa verde
Little lamb cutlets are delicious griddled or barbecued because they are packed with flavour. Here they’re served with asparagus that can also be griddled over the coals. All the preparation can be done ahead and then it’s just a few minutes on the barbecue to create a stunning dish.
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
12-16 little lamb cutlets
Extra virgin olive oil
½ lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 asparagus spears
For the salsa verde:
1 tsp toasted, ground cumin seeds
Bunch mint, leaves only
Bunch basil, leaves only
Bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves only
Bunch rocket
½ tbsp Dijon mustard
2 anchovies
½ tbsp capers
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
200ml extra virgin olive oil
For the horseradish cream:
2in fresh horseradish root, grated
1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
Pinch sea salt
180ml of creme fraîche
Method
To make the salsa verde: place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Pour in the oil slowly through the funnel in the top. You should have a sludgy, vibrant green sauce. Set aside until ready to use.
To make the horseradish cream: place the grated horseradish into a bowl and pour over the red wine vinegar. Season with salt. Stir in the creme fraîche and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Place a large pot of well salted water on to boil. Trim the woody ends of the asparagus.
To make the lamb: lay the lamb cutlets on a board. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper and brush with oil. Heat the barbecue or a griddle pan until smoking, and cook the cutlets 1-2 mins per side.
While the cutlets are cooking blanch the asparagus by dropping it into the boiling, well salted water. Cook for 40 seconds - it should still have a nice bite. Alternatively, griddle on the barbecue alongside the meat.
Remove the cutlets from the grill and squeeze over the lemon juice. Let rest for a few minutes to allow the meat to relax.
To serve: This is a real star of a dish so invest in the prep so you can simply griddle the lamb and serve on the day.
Arrange the cutlets and asparagus on a serving plate, spoon over the salsa verde and serve the horseradish cream alongside.
And to drink: Choose a red that works in summer and well placed for lamb; The Unexpected Red is an offbeat blend of three classics; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo with Sagrantino, which work together to create a smooth and full-bodied wine that is a rich, deep blood-red garnet colour with flavours of blackcurrant, bright cherry and hints of spice and violet. It’s in selected Co-op stores and inexpensive at £6.75
Tips: Make sure your meat is room temperature before you cook it – meat cooked straight from the fridge will take a lot longer.
It’s really important to allow meat to rest once it is cooked – it will have a much better textures and flavour.
The horseradish cream can be made the day before but salsa verde is best made on the day of eating as the herbs will keep their flavour a lot better.
Both horseradish cream and salsa verde are incredibly versatile and can be used to brighten and flavour vegetables, fish and meat.
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