Barbecue Lamb & Courgette Salad

This all-in-one salad makes light work of a summer meal and the most of the barbecue

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 3

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  596

• Protein

  53g

• Carbs

  15g

• Fat

  37g

• Saturates

  16g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  2.4g

Ingredients

• 9 lamb cutlets, French trimmed
• 3 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, others each cut into 4 fat slices
• olive oil
• 250g baby courgettes, halved lengthways
• small bunch of mint, leaves picked
• 400g can butter beans, drained
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 140g feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Marinate the lamb cutlets in the lemon juice and 4 tbsp olive oil for about 20 mins. Brush courgettes with another 2-3 tbsp olive oil and season.
2. Lift the lamb cutlets out of the marinade, season well and barbecue or griddle for 1-3 mins on each side. Barbecue or griddle the courgettes for 2-3 mins on each side until tender and charred. Barbecue or griddle the lemon slices for 30 secs-1 min each side to char and caramelise slightly.
3. Transfer the lamb and courgettes to a platter. Scatter on the mint, lemon zest, butter beans, chilli, spring onions, feta and seasoning, and gently toss. Drizzle with olive oil and add the barbecued lemons to the platter to squeeze over.

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Smoky Aubergine Dip & Barbecued Poppadums

If you want something to nibble on, this is great served as a starter, just scoop up and enjoy

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  65

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  4g

• Fat

  5g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  3g

• Salt

  0.04g

Ingredients

• 2 aubergines
• 100ml natural yogurt
• juice ½ lemon
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• olive oil, to drizzle
• 6 uncooked poppadoms, to serve

Directions

1. Fire up the barbecue. While the coals are still very hot, cook the aubergines whole until the skin is blackened and the flesh soft, then leave to cool in a bowl. (Alternatively cook the aubergines in a very hot oven for 20 mins or char on a hot griddle pan). Peel off the charred skin and chop the flesh. Tip into a food processor with the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, chilli, coriander and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Blend until smooth tip into a bowl, and drizzle with more olive oil. For a chunkier dip, the aubergine, garlic and chilli can be chopped by hand and mixed with the other ingredients.
2. Place uncooked poppadums one at a time over very hot coals and watch as they blister and contort in front of you. They only need about 30 secs on each side-just use a pair of tongs to turn them over when crisp and lightly charred.

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Indian Spiced Barbecued Lamb

Yogurt-based marinades create a delicious thin crust when they char, so are ideal for barbecues

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 50 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  519

• Protein

  62g

• Carbs

  1g

• Fat

  30g

• Saturates

  15g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  1g

• Salt

  0.36g

Ingredients

• 1 butterflied leg of lamb, about 2½ kg/5lb 8oz (ask your butcher to do this for you)
• For the marinade
• finger-length piece ginger, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp each turmeric, garam masala and cumin seeds
• 1 tsp paprika
• handful coriander leaves, plus extra sprigs to serve
• juice 1 lemon
• 150ml natural yogurt

Directions

1. Using a hand blender or mini food processor, whizz marinade ingredients to a smooth paste, then season with salt. Lay the lamb in a ceramic dish and coat with the marinade. Cover in cling film and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hrs or preferably overnight.
2. If you are using a charcoal barbecue, wait for the coals to become white and glowing (light the barbecue about an hour before you want to cook the lamb). If using a gas barbecue, cook the lamb over medium heat. Lift lamb out of the marinade and barbecue, flesh-side down, for about 25 mins. Flip it over and give the fat side about 15 mins. When the lamb has a dark brown crust and is cooked to your liking, leave it to rest on a board for 15 mins. (If the weather forces you indoors, the lamb can be roasted at 220C/200C fan/gas 7 for about an hour for pink meat; the breads can be cooked on a very hot griddle).
3. To serve, carve the lamb into thick slices and scatter with the coriander and some of the Pickled red onion (see below). Serve the remaining onion in a dish alongside the raita and breads (see recipes, below).

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Warm Potato Salad With Caesar Dressing

Great with grilled meat or fish, or try it cold the next day as part of a picnic lunch

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  321

• Protein

  7g

• Carbs

  32g

• Fat

  20g

• Saturates

  4g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  0.59g

Ingredients

• 750g Jersey Royal potatoes or small new potatoes, unpeeled and halved if large
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 2 anchovy fillets, roughly chopped
• 3 rounded tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• juice ½ lemon
• 3 tbsp grated parmesan
• 1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped

Directions

1. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Meanwhile, pound the garlic and anchovy fillets to form a paste. Mix with the mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Toss the dressing through the potatoes with the spring onions while still warm.

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Lemony Potato Salad

Why buy ready-made potato salad for your barbecue when this fragrant, Indian-inspired version is so easy?

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  163

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  25g

• Fat

  6g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  0.05g

Ingredients

• 900g halved new potatoes
• 3 tsp olive oil
• juice 1 lemon
• 1 tsp each toasted black mustard seeds and toasted cumin seeds
• 1 finely chopped green chilli (optional)
• ½ finger-length piece grated ginger
• pinch turmeric
• 4 sliced spring onions

Directions

1. Boil the new potatoes for 15 mins until just slightly overcooked but still holding their shape. While still warm, toss with all the other ingredients. Season. Can be made up to a day ahead and chilled, but take out of the fridge a good few hours before serving.

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10-Minute Couscous Salad

This makes a great lunchbox filler for a day out and is equally good at home from the fridge

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  327

• Protein

  13g

• Carbs

  33g

• Fat

  17g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  7g

• Salt

  0.88g

Ingredients

• 100g couscous
• 200ml hot low salt vegetable stock (from a cube is fine)
• 2 spring onions
• 1 red pepper
• ½ cucumber
• 50g feta cheese, cubed
• 2 tbsp pesto
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts

Directions

1. Tip couscous into a large bowl, pour over stock. Cover, then leave for 10 mins, until fluffy and all the stock has been absorbed. Meanwhile, slice the onions and pepper and dice the cucumber. Add these to the couscous, fork through pesto, crumble in feta, then sprinkle over pine nuts to serve.

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Homemade Ketchup

Homemade ketchup is a great way to use up excess tomatoes from the garden

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 1 hr, 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes about 2 litres

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  25

• Protein

  0g

• Carbs

  4g

• Fat

  1g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  0.08g

Ingredients

• 4 good-size onions, very roughly chopped
• 250g celery, very roughly chopped
• 5 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 short cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp allspice
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tsp celery salt
• 2kg ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp tomato purée
• ½ tsp Tabasco sauce
• 200ml white wine vinegar
• 200g golden caster sugar

Directions

1. Put the onions and celery into a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Heat the oil in a very large saucepan, add the onions and celery, cover, then soften over a low heat for 5 mins. Add the garlic, cook 5 mins more, then tip in the spices and cook for 1 min.
2. Now stir in all remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Keep on a bubbling simmer, uncovered, for 1 hr until the tomatoes are squashy and the liquid has reduced by several inches.
3. Whizz the mix with a stick blender until smooth, then sieve into a bowl. The ketchup will thicken a little when it cools, but if yours seems very runny (this will depend on the juiciness of your tomatoes), put it back on the heat and cook a little longer, stirring often, until reduced. Keep the ketchup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 months, or freeze in batches. If you like, keep in sterilised bottles or jars for up to 6 months-see tip, below.

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Corn Relish

This simple condiment is great with hot dogs, burgers and salad

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 350ml

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  24

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  4g

• Fat

  1g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  0.18g

Ingredients

• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 200 - 250g fresh corn (about 2 cobs)
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 75ml cider vinegar
• 25g caster sugar
• ½ tsp dry mustard powder
• handful coriander leaves, finely chopped (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Tip in the shallot and cook for 5 mins until softened. Stir in the remaining ingredients (except the coriander) with ½ tsp salt.
2. Bring to the boil, then cook for 10 mins until the corn is golden and the sauce coats the kernels. Add the coriander, if using, and leave to cool. Serve with hot dogs, burgers or pork chops.

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Corn & Black Bean Salsa

This fresh, tangy side dish will be the perfect addition to any barbecue

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 45 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  127

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  20g

• Fat

  3g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  0.24g

Ingredients

• 140g dried black beans, soaked overnight
• 326g or 330g can sweetcorn, drained
• bunch spring onions, sliced
• ½ large bunch coriander, leaves and stalks chopped, plus chopped stalks leftover from the Cheese & chilli melts (see 'Goes well with', below)
• juice 2 limes
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. Drain, then rinse the soaked beans. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 45 mins or until tender. Drain again.
2. Mix the beans, corn, spring onions, coriander stalks and leaves, lime juice, oil and some seasoning together in a bowl. Cover, then chill for up to half a day until ready to serve.

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Barbecue Baked Sweet Potatoes

This veggie barbecue dish is effort-free - just pop the potatoes on the coals and wait til meltingly soft

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  153

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  32g

• Fat

  3g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  9g

• Salt

  0.42g

Ingredients

• 8 medium sweet potatoes
• 4 tsp olive oil
• 4 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 1 spring onion, sliced

Directions

1. Rub each potato with a little oil and salt, then wrap in a double layer of foil.
2. As soon as the barbecue coals are glowing red, put the potatoes directly on them. Cook for 15 mins, turn with tongs, then cook for 15 mins more. Remove one, unwrap and check it is cooked through.
3. Peel back the top of the foil from each potato, split open and top with a spoonful of yogurt and a few spring onion slices.

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