You’ll get invited to an average of 3.5 BBQs this summer. Similarly to parties around Christmas, after the second, things will begin to taste tedious. If you’re thinking of hosting one – don't be lured into your supermarket’s trap of cheap sausages, baps and own-brand brown sauce. There is simply no space for that on your local park's allocated BBQ area. And don’t leave the vegetarians with sad bowls of couscous.
Ahead are six recipes that celebrate summer’s best kept BBQ secrets. It includes a barbecued cocktail – to introduce to your guests to the fact that you’ve stepped up your game – and a sweet barbecued dessert to finish. Each recipe is bold enough to serve on its own, which is easier than trying to fit multiple things on the grill at different intervals. Buy the produce from your local market by the bowl and in bulk if it’s a big crowd.
Fennel
Lemon, scallop and fennel skewers.
The lemon and aniseed make these skewers bright and aromatic. Scallops are skewer friendly, but you could use any white fish for this.
Ingredients: 2 fennel bulbs, 200g of raw scallops, juice + rind of 1 lemon, 3 tbsp olive oil, garlic, thyme, white pepper, salt, olive oil
1. Cut off the very base of the fennel bulb allowing you to pull the bulb sections apart. Slice each section into three rough triangular pieces.
2. Ensure the scallops are cold and dry, and season with white pepper and salt.
3. Feed the fennel pieces onto a skewer, alternating with the scallops. Add lemon rind and garlic clove every so often.
4. Mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, thyme.
5. BBQ each side for 2 minutes or until slightly charred, brush each side with lemon sauce and serve immediately.
Apricot
Apricots bring out the sweet notes in meat, and lamb neck is very succulent, good value and BBQs well, as it's not as fatty as other cuts, so they make a great combo.
Ingredients: Apricots, chopped Lamb neck fillets, salad, yogurt, fresh coriander, the fluffiest flatbreads you can find, toasted almonds.
Marinade: olive oil, cinnamon, dried coriander, cumin, chopped red onion.
1. Marinate the lamb in the oil and spices for an hour.
2. When you’re ready to BBQ, make sure the spiced lamb is at room temperature and feed onto metal skewers, alternating with red onion.
3. Place the apricots face down and cook until charred.
4. Cook ingredients for 5 minutes, turning the lamb occasionally.
5. Take the ingredients off the BBQ. While you leave the lamb to rest for a few minutes, slice the grilled apricots.
6. Toast the bread and on a sheet of aluminium foil - the almonds.
7. Slide the meat and apricots into a busy flatbread of fresh coriander, chopped almonds, raw red onion and salad.
Plantains
Plantain with Grapefruit and Juniper glaze. Top tip: Buy the plantains that are very black – they’re sweeter, quicker to cook and crisp up.
Ingredients: 4 ripe (black) plantains, 1 minced shallot, 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, 1 tablespoon of juniper berries, 1 grapefruit - its juice and rind, 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar, 1 clove garlic (crushed), cayenne pepper, allspice, salt.
1. On a medium heat, melt the coconut oil in a pan and add the minced shallot and garlic, with a pinch of salt to stop them browning.
2. Stir in juniper berries, spices, grapefruit rind until very lightly toasted.
3. Add the grapefruit juice and sugar and simmer until it dissolves and forms a light syrup. Take off the heat.
4. Cut the plantains lengthwise, keeping the peel on one side.
5. Brush the naked side of the plantains with the glaze and put face down on the BBQ for 10 minutes, basting halfway.
6. Taken them off the grill when they’re soft in the middle and crispy on the outside. Give a final paint of glaze and serve in their skins.
Cauliflower
Spicy cauliflower shish, with smoky sour cream.
Ingredients: Cumin, dried chilli, Szechuan pepper, dried garlic, a nut oil, smoked paprika, salt, lime, sour cream
1. Pull off the cauliflower trees and cut into thin cross sections, thick enough that it retains its structure but thin enough so it cooks quickly.
2. Combine the spices onto a plate - brush each side of the cauliflower piece with nut oil and coat each face in the spices.
3. Put on the BBQ for a couple of minutes each side and serve with lime wedges and smoked paprika on sour cream.
Mango
Barbecued mango with pistachios and cardamom kulfi – no ice cream maker needed.
Ingredients: Slices of mango with the skin on, pickle juice.
For the Kulfi: 1 can of condensed milk, 1 can of evaporated milk, 1 cup of thick cream, lime, cardamom, 1 teaspoon of rose water, handful of chopped pistachios.
1. For the Kulfi, combine the canned milks, cream, rose water, lime, cardamom and chopped pistachios together.
2. Pour into a metal tin, cover with aluminium foil so no ice crystals form and freeze.
3. Slice your mango and, brushing lightly on both sides with pickle juice, grill until charred on both sides.
4. When the Kulfi is ready – slice as you would a cake and place on top of the hot mango and serve.
Nectarine
This barbecued nectarine and oolong iced tea (with or without white rum) serves six.
Ingredients: 300 ml of white rum, 4 nectarines, 5 tbsp of loose leaf oolong tea, 5 cups of water, lemon, bitters, mint leaves.
1. For the best flavour, place the oolong tea leaves in a cold jug of water and brew in the fridge overnight. Alternatively, brew with hot water for 1-2 minutes, strain out the leaves and cool the tea in the fridge for 2 hours.
2. Sweeten the tea to taste and a squeeze of lemon and clapped mint.
3. Quarter the nectarines and grill until charred. I coat my nectarines in honey to caramelise them slightly.
4. Divide the white rum and nectarines between the glasses putting a drop of bitters in each glass.
5. Top with the oolong tea and serve with a straw.
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