Courgette Salad

This courgette salad is the perfect barbecue accompaniment

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

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  -

• Protein

  -

• Carbs

  -

• Fat

  -

• Saturates

  -

• Fibre

  -

• Sugar

  -

• Salt

  -

Ingredients

• 2 large courgettes
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 2 tsp poppy seeds
• 1 small garlic clove, crushed
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Grate the courgettes on the coarse side of your grater.
2. Toss them with the olive oil, lemon or lime juice, clear honey, poppy seeds and the crushed garlic clove. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve as soon as possible (or it will get too watery), with sizzling barbecued chicken or lamb, kebabs or burgers.

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Stuffed Peppers On The Barbie

Mary Cadogan's clever bbq recipe will impress all of your friends and family and have them coming back for more

• Cooking Time Takes about an hour
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  378

• Protein

  16.7g

• Carbs

  31g

• Fat

  21g

• Saturates

  8g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  0g

• Salt

  1.4g

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 50g pine nuts
• 140g long grain rice
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 350g vegetable stock
• 1 bunch spring onions sliced thinly
• 140g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 150g ball mozzarella, chopped
• 140g gorgonzola
• handful each of parsley and basil, chopped
• 3 red and 3 yellow peppers
• string, for tying

Directions

1. Make the stuffing: heat the oil in a medium pan with a lid and fry the pine nuts until lightly toasted, then add the rice and fry until the grains are glossy. Stir in the garlic, then add the stock and bring to the boil. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the rice is tender.Remove from the heat, cool slightly and stir in the spring onions, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, gorgonzola and fresh herbs. Season well and leave to cool.
2. Stuff the peppers: cut around the stalk from one pepper, remove and set aside. Make one slit down the length of the pepper and open out gently. Remove the seeds and membrane.
3. Spoon some filling into the pepper cavity, taking care not to overfill.
4. Take about a metre length of kitchen string and wrap the centre point several times around the pepper stalk, tying it firmly.
5. Top with the stalk and wrap the ends of the string several times around the pepper to secure the filling. Tie the ends in a knot.Repeat with the other peppers.
6. Barbecue the stuffed peppers over moderate heat for 15-20 minutes, turning gently until the peppers are evenly browned. Don't worry if the string chars and if the peppers split too much-wrap them in a piece of foil and finish cooking in the foil wrappers.

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Charred Aubergine Pepper & Bulghar Salad

Flavour basic grains with sundried tomatoes, aubergines, red peppers and olives for a versatile side dish

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

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  198

• Protein

  6g

• Carbs

  38g

• Fat

  3g

• Saturates

  0g

• Fibre

  6g

• Sugar

  6g

• Salt

  0.2g

Ingredients

• 175g bulghar wheat
• 2 tbsp sundried tomato paste
• 4 baby aubergines, each sliced lengthways into 3
• 1 red pepper, sliced lengthways into 1cm pieces
• 2 tsp olive oil
• handful basil leaves

Directions

1. Prepare bulghar following pack instructions. Tip into a large bowl and stir through the tomato paste. Season.
2. Heat a BBQ or griddle pan to high. Drizzle the aubergines and red pepper with the oil and cook for 5 mins on each side until lightly charred.
3. Stir the aubergines and red pepper into the bulghar mixture, then season and stir through the basil.

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Courgette & Halloumi Skewers

Marinade cheese with mint, lemon and olive oil, thread onto kebab skewers with veg and chargrill

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 8 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  250

• Protein

  14g

• Carbs

  2g

• Fat

  21g

• Saturates

  10g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  1.7g

Ingredients

• ½ tsp chilli powder
• small handful mint, chopped
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 courgettes, cut into 1cm rounds
• 225g pack halloumi cheese, cubed

Directions

1. Mix the chilli, half the mint, lemon zest and juice, oil, courgettes and halloumi. Leave to marinate for 30 mins. Soak 8 wooden skewers for 20 mins.
2. Thread the courgettes and halloumi onto the skewers. Cook on the BBQ, or under a grill, for 7-8 mins, turning halfway through and basting with the remaining marinade. Scatter over remaining mint.

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Barbecued Fennel With Black Olive Dressing

Slice fennel and chargrill it as the base to a salad dressed with Kalamata olives, parsley, basil and garlic

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

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  69

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  3g

• Fat

  6g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  5g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  0.2g

Ingredients

• 2 fennel bulbs, sliced lengthways into 1cm-thick pieces
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp finely chopped black Kalamata olives
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• juice 1 lemon
• small handful each parsley and basil, finely chopped

Directions

1. Heat a BBQ or griddle pan. Toss the fennel in 1 tbsp of the oil, coating well. Cook for 5 mins on each side until golden brown and charred.
2. To make the dressing, put the olives, garlic, lemon juice and remaining oil in a bowl. Add the chopped herbs and combine. Lay the fennel on a platter and pour over the dressing. Eat warm or at room temperature.

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Melting-Middle Aubergine Parcels

Cater for vegetarians in fine fashion with these barbecue-friendly parcels filled with mozzarella and dressed with pesto sauce

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

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  454

• Protein

  17g

• Carbs

  8g

• Fat

  40g

• Saturates

  13g

• Fibre

  8g

• Sugar

  7g

• Salt

  0.7g

Ingredients

• 3 aubergines
• drizzle of olive oil
• 2 x 125g balls mozzarella, drained and sliced
• 2 plum tomatoes, each cut into 4 thick slices
• 8 basil leaves
• For the pesto dressing
• small handful basil leaves
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
• 150ml olive oil

Directions

1. To make the dressing, blitz all the ingredients, except the oil, in a food processor; then, with the motor still running, drizzle in the oil. Tip into a bowl and set aside.
2. Trim off either end of the aubergines and discard. Slice the aubergines lengthways into 16 slices in total. Over a barbecue (or on a hot griddle pan), heavily mark the aubergine slices on each side to soften, then lift into a dish, drizzle with a little olive oil and season.
3. Working methodically, make little stacks of a mozzarella slice, tomato slice and basil leaf. Wrap each stack in a grilled aubergine slice, then wrap a second slice in the other direction to try to cover the gaps and make a little bundle. Secure each parcel with a couple of cocktail sticks. Can be kept in the fridge overnight.
4. Place the parcels on the barbecue and continue to char on each side until the cheese just starts to ooze out. Lift onto a platter, drizzle with the pesto dressing and serve. See time saving tip, below left.

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Roasted Balsamic Asparagus & Cherry Tomatoes

This simple vegetarian side dish can be served with meat, fish and veggie mains alike

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  120

• Protein

  5g

• Carbs

  5g

• Fat

  9g

• Saturates

  3g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  0.5g

Ingredients

• 350g asparagus spears, woody ends discarded
• 330g pack cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 50g feta cheese, crumbled

Directions

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the asparagus and cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season, then toss everything together. Bake for 15 mins until the asparagus is cooked through. Serve topped with the feta.

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Mediterranean Potato Salad

Skip the mayo and go for an Italian-style olive oil dressing for warm new potatoes. Jazz them up with basil, Parmesan and sundried tomatoes

• Cooking Time Prep 10 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4 - 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  178

• Protein

  6g

• Carbs

  29g

• Fat

  5g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  0.2g

Ingredients

• 1kg baby new potatoes, halved
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative)
• small bunch basil, roughly chopped
• 6 sundried tomatoes, finely sliced

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes until tender, about 15 mins, then drain and allow to cool slightly. Whisk together the olive oil, Parmesan and a little seasoning. Toss through the potatoes with the basil and sundried tomatoes. Serve warm.

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Mediterranean Fig & Mozzarella Salad

If you want to make this more substantial, you could serve some prosciutto or Serrano ham with it

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 4 as a main or 6 as a starter

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  286

• Protein

  10g

• Carbs

  11g

• Fat

  23g

• Saturates

  6g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  9g

• Salt

  0.3g

Ingredients

• 200g fine green beans, trimmed
• 6 small figs, quartered
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 x 125g ball mozzarella, drained and ripped into chunks
• 50g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
• small handful basil leaves, torn
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp fig jam or relish
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. In a large saucepan of salted water, blanch the beans for 2-3 mins. Drain, rinse in cold water, then drain on kitchen paper. Arrange on a platter. Top with the figs, shallots, mozzarella, hazelnuts and basil.
2. In a small bowl or jam jar with fitted lid, add the vinegar, fig jam, olive oil and some seasoning. Shake well and pour over salad just before serving.

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Pea Pancetta & Potato Salad

A little pancetta goes a long way in this vibrant, summer side dish

• Cooking Time Prep 5 mins
  Cook 10 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  203

• Protein

  10g

• Carbs

  27g

• Fat

  7g

• Saturates

  3g

• Fibre

  4g

• Sugar

  3g

• Salt

  1.23g

Ingredients

• 800g baby new potatoes
• 300g frozen peas
• 140g pancetta di cubetti
• juice ½ lemon
• handful each basil and mint, chopped

Directions

1. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 8 mins, or until tender, adding the peas for the final min of cooking. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, fry the pancetta in a frying pan until crisp. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and some seasoning. Throw the potatoes, peas, basil and mint into the pan and stir together. Just as good served hot or cool.

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