Hi fellow cooks, at last the summer has arrived! So get on the shorts, stick on the sun cream and get cooking al fresco. Very soon I will be having a family BBQ and I'm going to give you a sneak preview into the menu for at least 20 guests, please don't rain lol!

BBQ food doesn't need to be boring old sausages, burgers etc. You can theme a BBQ or just try something completely different like make paella in a massive pot on outdoor coals. Now here’s my menu & recipes for my family and guests.

Firstly fire up the BBQ a least an hour before you start cooking and get your wood or coals white hot. Now make sure you have your tongs, apron on and a good heavy kitchen cloth. Get loads of prep done, this will make your event or casual BBQ go much smoother.

Menu

Starter

Sticky Thai spiced chicken wings

serves 2

8 wings (trimmed), 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 3 tbsp of chili sauce, 2 tbsp of water, 1 tbsp of light brown sugar, 1 tsp ginger (grated), 

1 clove of garlic (grated), 1 tbsp of peanuts (chopped), 1/2 tbsp of rice vinegar, 1/2 tbsp of lime juice, pinch of chili flakes,1 tbsp coriander (chopped), 1 spring onion (chopped).

Method

1. Place chicken wings onto baking sheet and cook on BBQ for 15-20 minutes.

2. Now make the sticky sauce by placing a small pot on heat. Add water,soy, chili sauce, lime juice, sugar, chili, vinegar, ginger & garlic. Bring to a boil and simmer until well reduced and thick.

3. Cover wings in sauce and place back onto BBQ for another 10 minutes.

4. Now garnish with nuts,scallions & coriander.

Mains

Half roast lobster- chili butter & heritage tomato salad

1 lobster (split in two)

Chili butter

1 red chili (diced & deseeded), 40g butter (diced), 1/2 tsp tomato ketchup, 1/2 lemon zest & juice, chopped basil.

Method

1. Place butter into a bowl at room temp and soften.

2. Whisking butter well, add zest,ketchup,chili & basil.

3. Now add a little juice and roll tightly in cling film.

4. Top lobster with with half the butter and grill until brown 

5. When lobster is cooked finish with remaining butter.

Heritage Tomato Salad.

20 small tomatoes yellow and red, 1 shallot or small red onion, basil leaves, oregano leaves, 1 small clove garlic, 1½ teaspoons balsamic vinegar, 3 tablespoons good olive oil, salt and pepper.

Slice the tomatoes and lay them out on a large serving bowl. Slice the shallot or onion into thin rings and scatter over. Roll the basil leaves into thin strips and throw them over the salad with oregano leaves.

Immediately before serving, drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the top and season with salt and pepper.

Rump steak - red onion butter & blue cheese, walnut and pear salad

2 - 4 rump steak (160g portion), salt & pepper.

Method steak

1. Leave beef out of fridge for 1/2 hour before cooking, season beef on both sides with Maldon salt & black pepper (milled)

2. Place on high heat, brush beef with oil & cook 2 minutes each side (rare), 3.minutes (med-rare), 4 minutes(medium)

4. Now rest beef for two minutes before serving.

5. Place butter on top.

Butter

100g butter (diced), 1 red onion (finely diced), thyme,1 tsp balsamic vinegar, flat parsley (chopped).

Method

1. Cook onion,1/2 butter, thyme & vinegar together until onion is soft. Cool well, now add to remaining butter.

2. Add chopped parsley & season well, roll and place in fridge until chilled.

Blue Cheese, walnut & Pear Salad.

Ingredients salad.

150 mixed salad leaves, poached pears quartered, 150g blue cheese roughly chopped, 50g candied pecan nuts chopped.

Ingredients Dressing.

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 4 tbsp walnut oil, 1 tsp wholegrain mustard, 1 tbsp chopped blue cheese.

Ingredients Candied Pecan Nuts.

125g pecans, 85g caster sugar, 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon, 100ml water. 

Ingredients Poached Pear.

4 pears, peeled & cored, 150ml water, 150ml pear or apple juice, 85g caster sugar, 1 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 tbsp maple syrup.

Method Dressing.

Put all dressing ingredients into a blender and whizzx for a minute. Season to taste.

Method Candied Pecan Nuts.

Preheat oven to 180C. Stir together sugar, cinnamon and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium high heat for 8 minutes. Add pecans to sugar syrup and stir to coat well. Spoon nuts onto greaseproof paper and dry in oven for 5-8 minutes then cool. Store in airtight containers.

Method Poached Pears.

Place water, juice, sugar and spices in saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Add pears to syrup and simmer until soft,, aabout 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool in syrup.

Plating up.

Mix the leaves, cheese, pears and candied pecan nuts in a bowl. Toss with 4 tbsp of the dressing. Divide between plates and drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Enjoy this fantastic BBQ and remember that OVENLY pop up bakery is back 1st August .

Have a peaceful July guys.

Stephen