Let's barbecue the winter away!
We are all for seasonal cooking here at Barbed but barbecue is something we miss in the cold period. However with the new generation of barbecues, from firepits to gas grills (some even include a table for two!), poor weather is no longer an excuse not to do barbecues. Indeed, nowadays barbecues require few efforts to get started and often have lids so rain is no longer an issue either.
Now put your gloves on, go to your garden, and fetch the vegetables that are ready to be eaten. If you don’t have a garden just go to your grocery store or check out what’s in your fridge. What did you find? Potatoes? Carrots? Swede? Squash? French beans? It’s not really the season any more but maybe you have some corn left?
Grilling vegetables and meat is a great way to bring out all the flavours and to add a lovely smoky flavour to your cooking, and everything you usually grill in your oven goes perfectly well on your barbecue.
Simply get you recipe journal out or just follow your instincts, they will rarely be wrong with barbecue. Keep your aromatic herbs at hand (or get our hot pot barbecue which combines barbecue and herb garden) and cook away!
If you need some help getting started, here are a few ideas of things you can barbecue, while keeping in mind the basics of grilling:
For meat- and fish-eaters:
- Beef loin is amazing with some coarse salt sprinkled on top right before you eat it
- Make salmon parcels: wrap some salmon lightly seasoned in a foil parcel and put it on the barbecue
- There is no season for ribs, sausages or burgers – you can have them any time!
For vegetarians and meat-eaters:
- You can make good old jacket potatoes, by putting your potatoes in kitchen foil and cooking them among the charcoal or on the grill
- Make some winter skewers with Brussels sprouts (you may want to pre-cook them slightly in boiling water before putting them on the grill)
- Prepare your fresh French beans and instead of boiling them put them in some oiled kitchen foil so they don’t stick on the foil. Add some butter or margarine on top of the beans, close the foil parcel and put it on the grill as far from the heat as possible for about 30 minutes.
- Get a squash, cut it in half or more – always even pieces – so that it doesn’t cook too slowly, wrap in kitchen foil and wait.
When we think about barbecues, salads come in mind. If you want some winter salad, why not cut some chicory into pieces, add some walnuts and cheese cubes, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar to your liking and serve it alongside your meal? You can also easily make some coleslaw with onions, cabbage and carrots.
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Posted by Iconography Ltd
23rd November 2012
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