5 Star Barbecue Menu

Grilled Vegetables with Marbled Yogurt Pesto

Ingredients

150ml-1/4 pint Greek style yogurt
3 tbsp pesto
salt and fresh ground pepper

4 small red onions, quartered
2 small aubergines cut into 6 thick strips
1 fennel bulb cut into 6 thick strips
2 red bell peppers, each cut into 6 thick strips
2 yellow bell peppers, each cut into 6 thick strips
3 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed, quartered
5 zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
16 thick asparagus spears, trimmed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1) Arrange the vegetables on a hot barbecue, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2) Cook the vegetables until golden brown and tender, turning occasionally. The aubergines and peppers will take 6-8 minutes to cook, the courgettes, onion and fennel 4-5 minutes. Serve with the marbeled pesto sauce.

Clams Baked in Embers with Smoked Olive Oil

6 clams per person
1/2 lb sea salt
8 strips aluminium foil
3/4x6 inches(2x15cm)
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup smoked olive oil
(available at specialty grocery shops)
salt and pepper

Preparation time
10 minutes, plus overnight soaking

Cooking time
35 minutes

The night before; place the clams in a bowl of water and sea salt. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Drain the clams and rinse well in fresh water. Wrap the clams in the aluminium-foil strips, place under a pile of glowing embers and bake for 10 minutes, unwrap, and open slightly.
Pour 1/2 teasp smoked oil into each clam and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the clams on a bed of sea salt and serve hot.

Grilled Chicken a la Provencale

Serve 6 to 8
2 cups marinade

Ingredients

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
6 garlic cloves, minced
finely grated rind of 1 lime
10 ml-1/2 tsp chilli sauce
1 spoon sugar
2 tablespoons herbes de provence
1/2 cup olive oil, can use less
6-8 chicken pieces, your choice

Directions

1) Combine all ingredients except for the chicken.
2) Marinate chicken in the marinade all night in the refrigerator
3) Remove chicken from the marinade.
4) Return the chicken to room temperature and grill until cooked ( 25-30 minutes, or until there is no trace of pink).

Luxury Ginger Scampi

Serve 6

Frozen, peeled raw prawn tails may be easier to obtain. These should be thawed before barbecuing.

Ingredients

750g prawn tails
marjoram sprigs and lemon slices to garnish

Marinade

155ml salad oil
juice and finely grated peel of one lemon
6 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger root
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

Mix together all the ingredients
Wash prawns but leave shells intact if using unpeeled prawn tails.
Mix with marinade and leave in a cool place for 2 hours.
Baste occasionally
Thread crosswise onto skewers and barbecue over hot coals for 7-10 minutes, turning frequently until prawn flesh is opaque.

Lamb Kumquat Kebabs

serve 5

Ingredients

2 large oranges
625 lean lamb
125g cooked, short-grain rice
8-10 fresh mint leaves
salt and pepper
15 kumquats, rinsed, wiped and de-stalked
olive oil for basting

Sauce

1 tsp arrowroot
1/4 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp maple syrup
2 tsp Cointreau

Method

Squeeze the juice from oranges and make up to 250ml with water.
Peel the orange skin and cut into pieces with scissors.
Cube the lamb.
In a food processor, blend the peel, lamb, rice and mint to a smooth paste, season to taste
Divide the mixture into 20 equal portions, allowing 4 portions and 3 kumquats per skewer.
Mould the meat paste into sausage shape around 5 skewers, interspersing with kumquats.
Barbecue the kebabs over hot coals for 10-12 minutes, turning frequently and boasting with olive oil.
To make the sauce, smoothly blend reserved orange juice and arrowroot together in a small saucepan. bring to the boil, stirring continuously until sauce thickens. Stir in the paprika, maple syrup and Cointreau. Keep sauce warm and use too coat kebabs just before serving. garnish with mint sprigs.

Tarama Sardines

Ingredients

6 fresh sardines
2 tbsp lemon juice
pepper
4 tbsp taramasalata
parsley, to garnish

Method

Cut of and discard sardine heads and, using a small skewer or teaspoon, carefully clean out inside of each fish. Rinse and pat dry on absorbent kitchen paper.

brush inside sardines with lemon juice and season to taste with black pepper. carefully fill cavities with the taramasalata.

Barbecue over hot coals for 3-4 minutes on each side.