Barbecue Recipes

by: Jessica Luca

Here are a few simple suggestions sure to become your sizzling barbecue favourites.  Don’t be afraid to experiment and vary these recipes to suit your tastes.  There are no hard and fast rules for barbecues, and you can try whatever you’re willing to imagine!

Must-have Marinades

Simple marinades are an absolute must for a mouth-watering summertime barbecue.

Combining olive oil, garlic, finely chopped fresh red chilli, salt and pepper is quick and easy and will please even the pickiest of eaters.

For something a little more unusual, perfect for marinading lamb, try mixing some mashed blackberries with chopped mint, cracked pink peppercorns, a dash of port, and a pinch of black peppercorns.

It’s a good idea when barbecuing lamb to cover the exposed bones with foil as this will stop them from charring, an oversight causing the meat to have a bitter taste.

Another quick, easy and scandalously scrumptious marinade can be made by combining two-thirds of a cup of barbecue sauce, half a cup of sweet chilli sauce, two tablespoons of honey and one tablespoon of peanut oil.

This is perfect for beef and lamb, and the quality and intensity of the taste will increase the longer you allow the meat to marinate.

Versatile Vegetables

Done correctly, corn tastes amazing cooked on the barbecue.  Carefully peel back the husk of the corn, and clear away the fine silks.  Pull the husk back over the corn, tying with string to keep it firmly in place.  Soak the corn in cold water for about three minutes then barbecue the corn evenly for about fifteen minutes.  Use a skewer to test if the corn is tender enough to eat, and serve with herb butter. 

The herb butter can be pre-prepared by softening 80 grams of butter (or margarine) and mixing through a tablespoon of finely chopped parsley and a tablespoon of finely chopped basil.

Eggplant salad with tahini dressing

Cut two eggplants into strips, and barbecue lightly until golden brown.  Mix sea salt, cracked pepper, olive oil, parsley leaves, half a Spanish onion, one diced tomato, and half a teaspoon of sumac in a bowl, and add the eggplant.

Combine about 100ml of plain yoghurt, 30ml of tahini, the juice of one lemon, one teaspoon of sea salt, and one crushed clove of garlic.  Drizzle the dressing over the eggplant salad, and serve.

Sumac is a tart spice, its tangy citrus taste making it ideal for use as a substitute or supplement to lemon juice.

…And something a little different                        

Barbecue Octopus

Ingredients (serves 3)

    * 300ml red wine

    * 2 tbs balsamic vinegar

    * 1kg baby octopus, cleaned

    * 2 tbs soy sauce

    * 1/4 cup sweet chilli sauce

    * 1/4 cup tomato sauce

    * 1 cup chopped parsley or coriander

Method

Place wine and balsamic in a saucepan with octopus.  Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Drain octopus, place in a bowl with soy and chilli. Stir to combine.  Heat barbecue to high and grill octopus for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked or lightly charred.  Garnish with parsley.

And for a light starter before digging into the barbecued delights, why not try making your own pate?

Here’s the recipe for a mushroom pate, which is easier than a traditional chicken liver pate, but just as tasty.

Ingredients

    * 40g butter

    * 1 brown onion, finely chopped

    * 2 garlic cloves, crushed

    * 500g button mushrooms, roughly chopped

    * 1 tablespoon plain flour

    * 1 tablespoon thyme leaves

    * 1/4 cup red wine

    * 2 tablespoons sour cream

Method

   1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes or until tender.  Add mushrooms.  Stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until mushrooms are soft.

   2. Sprinkle flour and thyme over mushrooms, stirring until well combined.

   3. Whisk together wine and sour cream.  Pour over mushroom mixture, stirring. Cook for 3 minutes or until sauce comes to the boil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer to a bowl.  Refrigerate until cold.

   4. Process mushroom mixture in a food processor until smooth.  Spoon into a bowl. Garnish with extra thyme.

And don’t forget about the reliable old barbecue when it comes time to prepare dessert.  Quickly throw some pineapple slices, peach halves or bananas on the hotplate and serve immediately with a scoop of ice cream!

 Recipes courtesy of www.lifestylefood.com.au and www.taste.com.au

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