It’s National BBQ Day this Sunday so it’s time to bust out the BBQ! But what happens if the same old shop bought sausages and burgers start to wear a bit thin? To shake things up a bit, we’ve put together five of our favourite BBQ recipes ideas which all the family can enjoy. Healthy, tasty and pretty quick to prepare, these dishes are a proper slice of summer.
CHICKEN SATAY SKEWERS
This dish is a great way to add a little bit of exotic flavour to a BBQ without putting the little people off. If they like peanut butter (and let’s face it, most of them do) then this is likely to be a winner.
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts
- 3 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- zest and juice of one lime
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons honey (runny)
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 6 tablespoons coconut milk
Method
- Cut meat into strips, zest and juice the lime, crush the garlic and mix it in a bowl with soy sauce, peanut butter and honey.
- Marinade meat in the bowl for at least 3 hours.
- Place meat on skewers and grill for 3-4 mins on each side.
- For the sauce put remaining marinade in a pan, bring to boil, add coconut milk, cook for 1 min. serve skewers on a platter with the sauce on the side.
JAM JAR MOCKTAILS
Why should adults have all the fun? There are so many recipes out there for non-alcoholic cocktails but this one, for Virgin Pina Colada, is guaranteed to make everyone feel like they’re on holiday.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 225g of diced fresh pineapple (a couple of wedges for garnish)
- 250 ml of pineapple juice
- 100ml coconut milk
- 3 cups ice cubes
Method
Simply puree bananas, diced pineapple, pineapple juice, coconut milk and ice in a blender. Pour the mixture in 4 glasses or a jug, garnish with pineapple wedges and drink up!
HOMEMADE BURGER STATION
If you have the time, nothing beats a homemade burger.
Big and little people really like being able to choose their own toppings, so create your own burger station with a mix of lovely ingredients to keep everyone happy. Pickles, cheese, salads and sauces make the best accompaniment to these delicious homemade burgers.
Ingredients
- 1 chopped red onion
- 3 tbsp vegetable/olive oil
- 1 crushed garlic clove
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- 1 tsp of flat leaf parsley
- 2 slices white bread, crumbed
- 250 g (9 oz) minced beef (you can use the lean stuff but actually the fattier versions help bind the recipe)
- 2-3 tbsp tomato chutney/relish
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1–2 tbsp flour, for dusting
Method
- Sauté the onion for 5–6 minutes, until soft.
- Add the garlic, thyme and parsley and cook for 1 minute.
- Blitz the bread and onion mixture in a blender.
- In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and onions with all the other ingredients and season to taste.
- Form the mixture into 6 burgers using flour-dusted hands.
- Cook the burgers on a BBQ to taste.
TOMATO, MOZZARELLA, AVOCADO & BASIL SALAD
We know this isn’t perhaps the most original salad in the world BUT it is delicious and crucially it’s one that we’ve managed to persuade Claudi & Fin to eat.
Both of them are horrified by anything with lettuce, even if its lurking around the edges, so this is a fail-safe salad that should please everyone.
Ingredients
- 6 large fresh basil leaves, torn
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 clove garlic, chopped (leave this out if you think it might cause alarm!)
- 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 125g tub of Mozzarella, drained and sliced
- 1 Ripe Avocado, peeled, stoned and sliced
- 2 handfuls of toasted Pine Nuts
- 200g cherry tomatoes on the vine
Method
Chop all your fresh ingredients and pop in a salad bowl. Dress with balsamic, oil (and the garlic if you dare). Delicious!
WATERMELON LOLLIES
These beautiful slices of fresh watermelon are delicious, refreshing and portable. Maybe it’s just us, but by this point in a meal, small-person patience is wearing a bit thin. These are perfect for such moments and give children the chance to enjoy dessert AND play. It doesn’t get much better than that, does it?