BBQ Banquet

I reckon if all my main meals could be cooked on a barbie that I would enjoy cooking as much as I do baking.  I don't know what it is about cooking outdoors, especially in this wonderful weather that has greeted the start of British summer time!  It was very chilly standing on the balcony last night flipping burgers!  It seems that we are developing a bit of a Good Friday barbie tradition though, I remember flat sitting for sis-in-law a couple of years ago and trying to make a decent barbie on her terrace with one of those disposable BBQ's you can get from M&S.  It was an interesting experience!  When we moved into our new flat with a balcony I knew I had to get a proper BBQ and my webber arrived just in time for moving day and its not failed us yet!

In addition to the usual burger and snags (that's Aussie slang for sausages!) we also had Chicken with Chorizo and Mozzarella.  We also had Jacket Sweet Potato and a very yummy Soy Glazed Tuna for me!

Soy Glazed Tuna Steaks
50ml soy sauce

4 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ tsp sesame oil
4 tuna steaks

Put the soy sauce and brown sugar in a small saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the garlic and sesame oil, remove from the heat and cool. Cover the tuna steaks with the marinade and leave for 1 hour.

BBQ the tuna steaks for 1 min each side for rare, 2 for medium, basting constantly with the marinade, until charred and sticky on the outside.

* This marinade can also be used with salmon or white fish.

Serves 4

Not sure where I got this one from, I've had the recipe for a few years now!

Barbecue Baked Sweet Potatoes

4 small ish sweet potatoes

4 tsp olive oil

salt

4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

4 sprigs of thyme

Rub each potato with a little oil and salt, then lay a sliced clove of garlic and a sprig of thyme over the top.  Wrap each potato in a double layer of foil.

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.

Once these are cooked you can also 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 which is very nice but we didn't worry about that last night.

Serves 4

Adapted from BBC Good Food

Of course the biggest joy I get from cooking a barbie is making way too much food and having to eat it cold for lunch the next day ;0)