Bank holiday weekend barbecue, anyone?
It’s bank holiday weekend and it’s not going to rain until Monday – maybe – so take a look at our top recipes and get grilling…
Venison burgers
Grind a couple of juniper berries, two bay leaves and a generous amount of seasoning in a pestle and mortar. Mince a kilo and a half of venison (or ask your butcher to do it for you) and combine with 400g of pork mince. Mix in the contents of the pestle and mortar and shape into 10 burgers. Cook through on the barbecue, and serve with baked potatoes topped with sour cream and chives.
Steak with radish, Tenderstem broccoli and an Asian-style dressing
Lightly oil and season four 6oz rump steaks, and grill on the barbecue for two minutes on each side (or more, if you like them well done). Take them off the heat and keep warm. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and fry for about a minute, then add a sliced red chilli, a knob of ginger cut into matchsticks, and a tablespoon each of light soy sauce, balsamic vinegar and sesame oil. Bring up to the boil, then add 100g of quartered radishes, and 200g of Tenderstem broccoli, and cook for one minute before taking off the heat. Slice the steaks, divide between four plates, and top with the dressing.
Image courtesy of Love Radish
Best-ever barbeque sauce
Gently fry one finely chopped onion in a splash of olive oil for a couple of minutes, until softened but not coloured. Pour in the best quality tin of tomatoes you can get (whole ones are best – you can break them down in the pan), then add two finely chopped garlic cloves, 80g of brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of malt vinegar, 1 tablespoon of tomato purée and 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce. Bring up to the boil, then simmer gently for 20-30 minutes.
Beetroot, walnut and herb dip
Roughly chop 50g of cooked beetroot, and whiz up in a blender with a couple of cloves of garlic, a small bunch each of coriander and parsley, 50g of halved walnuts, 3 tablespoons of olive oil and two tablespoons of red-wine vinegar. Season to taste. Serve with crisps, vegetables for dipping or strips of warm pitta bread.
Image courtesy of Love Beetroot
Caramelised pineapple
Remove the pineapple’s leafy crown, and chop a thin slice off the base. Very carefully slice the skin away from top to bottom, then core it and slice into rounds. Mix six tablespoons of brown sugar with a teaspoon of cinnamon. Lay the pineapple rounds flat in a dish, sprinkle over the cinnamon-sugar mixture and turn to coat evenly. Cover and put in the fridge for at least half an hour. When you’re read to cook them, grill on the barbeque, turning every few minutes, until caramelised. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
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