Summer BBQ recipes

With summer finally upon us (with the exception of today's stormy conditions!) it's time to dust down the BBQ and do some cooking alfresco! This year we've upgraded to a gas BBQ which in my humble opinion is easier to cook on than charcoal as you can maintain and regulate the heat a lot easier. Below are some easy to follow recipes that definitely have the 'wow' factor and will impress your guests should you be having any round!

Charred asparagus with lemon and sea salt

Ingredients (serves 4)

16 asparagus spears

2 lemons

Sea salt crystals

Splash of olive oil

This dish is as simple as it sounds. Simply chop the wooden bit off the asparagus spears put them in a dish cover with the juice of the lemon, olive oil and salt. Leave for about 30 mins then grill them on a hot BBQ turning frequently to ensure they get an even colour. When they look a bit like the picture above they're ready to serve!

Rib-eye steak with a Dijon mustard and garlic herb glaze

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 rib-eye steaks

4 tsp Dijon mustard

4 garlic cloves crushed

1 small bunch of flat parsley chopped

4 sprigs of thyme

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Olive oil

In a bowl mix together everything but the steaks. Mix well then brush it onto the steaks and leave to marinade. If you can give it 12 hours great, if not then a minimum of 30 minutes will do. Make sure your BBQ is nice and hot then start cooking your steaks. Blue-1 minute each side, rare-1 1/2 minutes each side, medium rare-2 1/4 minutes each side and medium-well done 2 1/2-3 minutes each side. Leave to steaks to rest for a couple of minutes then serve!

King prawn and chorizo kebabs marinaded in olive oil, garlic and parsley

Ingredients (serves 4)
8 large king prawns de-veined (trail of nastiness along it's back)
8 thick slices of chorizo
1 tbsp chopped parsley
4 garlic cloves crushed
Splash of olive oil
4 wooden skewers

Again another simple one! Mix together the garlic, olive oil and parsley and pour over the prawns and leave to marinade. Like with the steaks 12 hours is great but if not then 30 minutes will do. To stop the wooden skewers from burning let them soak in water over night. If that can't be done then pour boiling water over them leave for 15 minutes then repeat with another lot of boiling water. Skewer the prawns and chorizo and start cooking. Be careful not to burn them with the oil that the chorizo will release. When the prawns are pink they're ready, time to serve!

Lamb kebabs with a Greek yogurt and Harissa marinade

Ingredients (serves 4)
4 lamb steaks diced
200g Greek yogurt
2 tbsp chopped mint
2 tbsp chopped rosemary
2 tsp Harissa paste
2 cloves of garlic crushed
Salt and pepper for seasoning.
4 wooden skewers

Mix together all the ingredients except the lamb and then mix the lamb in. Again a long period of marinading would be good but not absolutely necessary. Thread the lamb onto the pre-soaked skewers and then straight onto a hot BBQ. If your BBQ has a lid then close it for 5 minutes to get it extra hot. When the lamb feels firm to touch (after about 5 minutes) then it's ready. Serve it with tzatziki and enjoy!

Amesbury Carnival and the left over onions

My wife and I selling Wiltshire sausages

My wife (who's 6 months pregnant with our 3rd child) and I recently had a stall at the Amesbury Carnival. Last year we went as customers but this year we thought having a stall selling Wiltshire sausages might be a good idea, we didn't realise what a good idea it was going to turn out to be! I arrived early with our eldest boy and started setting up. From the start it looked like we had a good pitch as we weren't tucked away with the druids and their healing stone but more right it the middle of it all. The other bonus was there was only one other hot food outlet, one of those burger vans selling (in my opinion) over cooked over priced burgers and chips. We got the BBQ lit around 11.30 and my parents turned up to give a hand with the baby sitting/onion chopping/serving sausage baps. It must have been the smell of yummy (technical chef term #1) sausages and frying onions wafting through the air because within minutes we were off! The queue grew and grew and for about 2 hours it was 30+ deep.

The people of Amesbury queuing for quality food!

Keeping up with demand on a charcoal fired BBQ was a bit testing at times but 3 hours later the queue had got into single figures and we had sold some where in the region of 350 Wiltshire sausage baps. We packed away and headed to the best place the celebrate, the pub. Pint of larger for me, orange juice and lemonade for my wonderfully pregnant wife who some how managed to stay on her feet all day working her socks off. We both sat there in a bit of a daze not really knowing what had just happened, but one thing was for sure we totally nailed it!

My wife serving with my mum and I cooking in the back ground

Back home unloading the car I realised we had a fair bit (half a sack) of onions left over. I made French onion soup and various chutneys, but the one dish I hadn't made for a while was onion bhajis. Growing up in Hong Kong there was always a large Indian influence and the curries were second to none. I tried out a few recipes adding different ingredients, but the one I was most happiest with is the one I'm going to share with you, so here goes:  

Ingredients

Serves 4

2 large onions (sliced length ways)

3 tbsp plain flour 

1 tsp curry powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp crushed toasted cumin and mustard seeds

1 tsp chopped coriander (optional)

1 tbsp good quality mango chutney

Seasoning-slightly more pepper than salt to bring alive the spices

Vegetable oil for frying

Chilli sauce or yoghurt and mint dip

Method

Gently fry the onions in some butter and vegetable oil until they become soft and opaque, leave to cool. Mix all the other ingredients (not the oil!) and onions until it forms a paste. Either using a spoon or your fingers drop golf ball sized balls of the mixture into hot oil and fry until they become golden brown. Set aside on some kitchen paper and repeat until all of the mixture is gone. Serve immediatley, at this point the bhajis will be soft and gooey (technical term #2) which is how I like them, if however you prefer them slightly more crunchy then 5 minutes in the oven should do it.

Enjoy!

Coronation chicken

With the Jubilee weekend  getting closer I thought it was time I shared my Coronation chicken recipe. The recipe was invented by Constance Spry and Rosemary Hume for the Queen's coronation in 1953. I've made a few adjustments to the original recipe to bring it a bit more up to date.

Ingredients (serves 6)

500g free range chicken breast

1 onion finely chopped

1/2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp mango chutney

Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

100ml mayonnaise

100ml crème fraiche or Greek yoghurt

60g toasted flaked almonds

2 tbsp chopped parsley

2 tbsp chopped coriander

1 tbsp mild curry powder

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 chicken stock cube

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method

Bring a pan of water to the boil with the chicken stock cube, add the chicken breasts. Reduce to simmer and cook for around 8 minutes. When cooked remove from the water and set aside to cool. In a bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients, slice the chicken when cool and add to the mixture and season. If possible leave the mixture over night as the flavours will improve. Serve with a garnish of watercress.

Alternatively serve it rolls garnished with pomegranate seeds. Have a great Jubilee weekend!