Whats your BBQ speciality main or side dish please?

[sweetheart]

We are having a BBQ this weekend with our neighbours which I'm really looking forward to but the last neighbourhood BBQ we went to was hosted by an Australian family and it was amazing! They so know how to BBQ better than us Brits!

So anyway, can you please share with me your BBQ specialities which always go down a storm so that I can be impressive to.

I'm thinking of doing a potato salad and a tomato and mozerella salad.

Any other ideas would be great!

Grilled halloumi with lemon, mustard and coriander dressing - will post recipe if you're interested!

Marinated chicken kebabs:

buy mini chicken fillets or chicken breasts and slice into pieces about 1-2 cm thick. Marinate for a minimum of 30 mins in olive oil, lemon juice, salt/pepper, garlic and chilli flakes. Thread them onto skewers, then barbecue till cooked through - won't take long - probably 5 mins max.

Monkfish chunks wrapped in pancetta, again threaded onto skewers. You can marinate the monkfish as well if you want - olive oil and lemon juice, seasoned with black pepper.

The Australian neighbour actually stopped me this morning and said she was going to bring Halloumi with her but please post the recipe anyway as I may be able to use it in future

Ummm monkfish sounds nice - I know one guest is allergic to prawns so will have to check if it's all fish or just prawns.

Thanks for those - any more anyone?

From Sainsbury's "Barbecues", by Jim Mark

Grilled Halloumi with Lemon and Garlic Vinaigrette

1 Halloumi

Dressing:

1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, chopped very finely
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 rounded teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Rinse and pat dry the cheese

Cut into 8 even slices

Put all vinaigrette ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together until thoroughly blended

Place cheese slices on to an oiled grill and cook over medium-high heat for about 1 minute on each side or until it is a light golden colour - do not over cook or it will go tough and chewy

Serve immediately sprinkled with the vinaigrette

This makes enough for 4 people; I find that there's loads of dressing so you could easily do twice the amount of cheese without having to double up on the vinaigrette.

The thing I always do for barbeques is baked new potatos, and they get devoured. Couple of bags of baby new potatos, tip into a baking tray, drizzle on oil, sprinkle with lots of sea salt and bake on high until cooked - about 45 mins generally. You can also use garlic salt or add chilli flakes.

I always make a mixed bean salad, tzatiski and a hot salsa.

Salsa - finely chop red onions, green chillies and tomatoes, blend with lime juice, cumin and a little sugar and salt. Cover and chill for an hour before serving.

I often do a butterflied leg of lamb - marinate it overnight and either cook slowly in the oven then throw on the barbie just to brown, or roast on the bbq for about 45 mins.

Fab with roast baby new pots w garlic and rosemary sprinkled on.

thanks for starting the thread, we're planning a BBQ this weekend too and I need inspiration.

I've done grilled aubergines with mint dressing, and always goes down well

Slice aubergines longway (about 5mm thick), and paint with olive oil & season
Make dressing:
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbspn balsamic vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 tsp caster sugar
50ml of olive oil
good handful of mint leaves, torn

bbq aurbegine, and then dress with vinagrette, (while hot). Leave to soak in dressing and serve at room temp. Best to leave for a couple of hours if possible.

(this is from crazy water, pickled lemon by Diana Henry)

OurLady,
Mmm sounds lovely, what do you marinade the lamb in?

I'll add another of my own just to bump and share.
Wrap asparagus spears in parma ham or bacon and grill them on the BBQ for a few mins. They are delightful as an accompanyment.

oh and if possible you can make up a sauce to drizzle over with butter lemon juice and basil.

Marinated butterflied leg of lamb (based on 2.8kg leg, or 2.2 when bone taken out):

1 large leg lamb, butterflied
300ml virgin olive oil
zest of lemon
4 squashed cloves garlic
2 large sprigs rosemary, finely chopped (or use dried)
6 peppercorns

Put lamb and other ingredients in a placky bag in the fridge for up to 30 hours, turning occasionally.
Take out in advance to bring to room temp.
Put lamb in dish and roast at 210C for 45 - 50 mins.
You can use the marinade to coat about 2kg of spuds and roast them too.
Or throw the lamb on the barbie, again for about 45 mins.
I don't know the temperature for slow-cooking the lamb as I have an Aga, but this is another option, in which case you'd just brown it on the barbie.
(From Nigella's How to Eat).

Thanks OurLady