Let’s Fire Up the Barbecue

This week is National BBQ Week and with a warm week ahead it’s perfect for alfresco dining.

First things first, some tips on having a more sustainable BBQ, helping us to think about choosing charcoal, firelighters and tableware as well as considering how we use and cook on the BBQ.

Spatchcock chicken – our recipe is first cooked in the oven and then finished on the bbq to give it some smoky flavour. It cooks quickly in the oven and this part can be done before guests arrive. We get our organic chicken from Rhug Estate in Wales, where animal welfare and sustainable farming is at the core of the business.

Sausages – why not make your own? A useful skill to have and could also save money on not buying gourmet sausages in the future, as well as being great fun. Check out our Sausage Making class this July.

Veggie steaks – we love grilled whole Portobello mushrooms, sliced aubergine and chunky cauliflower steaks. A perfect alternative to meat, you simply squeeze a garlic clove through a press, mix it with olive oil and coat the vegetables. Season and grill on both sides.  You can also add a delicious Pomegranate Molasses Dressing to the roasted vegetables.

Chopped market salad – a fabulous seasonal dish to make at home or take to a BBQ. You can do all the chopping in advance (very small cubes) and store the ingredients in the fridge until needed.

Grilled fish – seasonal and locally caught fish is not only full of flavour but also super simple to do on the BBQ. If you want to brush up on your fish knowledge and cooking skills take a look at our Fantastic Fish classes running across the summer.

Accoutrements

Why not whip up a saffron aioli to go with your spatchcock chicken and aubergine steak? If you need more condiments then take a look at Rubies in the Rubble, made from would-be-wasted fruit and veg, their delicious ketchup, mayo and relish can be found in Waitrose, Morrisons, Ocado and the Co-op. While on the subject of food waste, why not shop for some Toast Ale beers to go with your BBQ, made from would-be-wasted bread!

Lastly, if you happen to own a Big Green Egg (BGE) then you might enjoy reading about our founder, Rosalind’s adventures with a range of ingredients and recipes from duck, poussin and turkey (it was Christmas!), to roasted vegetables and a crumble! The principles are slightly different to a normal BBQ, in fact it sounds more like cooking in a pizza oven or an Aga.

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