Michelin star chef, Skye Gyngell, has shared some of her top recipes for the perfect “boujie barbecue” to really impress your guests!
Garlicky prawns with parsley, lemon and radicchio
With all the flavours of the summer, these juicy prawns drizzled in butter and topped with fresh herbs and leaves make an impressive centrepiece without being difficult to make. It can be prepared ahead leaving you to relax and enjoy a glass of wine with your guests. Served with crusty bread that can be griddled on the barbecue for a smoky flavour – they’re a real showstopper dish for outdoor entertaining.
Serves 4
2kg fresh raw prawns
100g unsalted butter
1 teaspoon of dried red chilli, crumbled finely
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
The juice of one lemon
1 tablespoon of dry sherry (Fino)
Leaves of radicchio
Crusty bread, torn or thickly sliced
Start by peeling the prawns, discard the shell but reserve the heads.
Place a large, heavy based pan over a medium to low heat. When warm add the butter and allow to melt.
Once the butter is melted and beginning to foam add the prawn heads. When they are bright red squeeze the juice from the heads into the pan (the easiest way to do this is by using tongs).
Remove the heads and discard. You will be left with a beautiful, flavourful sauce that will really enhance the flavour of the final dish. Add the chilli and garlic, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 30 seconds or so, being careful that the garlic does not burn.
Add the prawns and cook for 1 minute or until just translucent.
Squeeze over the lemon juice, add the sherry and parsley and stir well to combine.
Finally add the radicchio.
Meanwhile, griddle on the barbecue or lightly toast chunks of the bread until slightly charred / browned.
To serve
Enjoy al fresco, by spooning onto a warm sharing plate and serving immediately with crusty bread.
Wine Pairing
You don’t need to pair with expensive wines; serve with a fresh white wine such as Andrew Peace Signature Chardonnay 2020. It’s seriously refreshing and rich white with subtle flavours of tropical fruit and a splash of delicate citrus. And it’s £5.50 from selected Co-op stores – apwines.co.uk
Tips
If radicchio isn’t available substitute with any fresh greens and it will be equally delicious.
Don’t skip cooking the prawn heads as they add so much flavour to this dish.
This also makes a great pasta sauce – simply cook some pasta and once cooked add to the pan with the prawns and toss together well to combine.
Pepper Piedmontese
This colourful dish screams summer and can be prepared ahead so it’s ideal for entertaining in the garden with friends or family. A classic Mediterranean recipe, it can be served as a starter, as a light lunch or side dish or on a bed of lentils to make a more substantial meal.
It can easily be adapted for vegetarians by leaving out the anchovies and for vegans without the cheese.
Serves 4
8 ripe tomatoes
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 red peppers
12 basil leaves
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
6 good quality tinned anchovies in oil, drained and finely chopped
2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil
Lentils (optional)
Mozzerella or goat’s cheese (optional)
Place a large pot of salted water onto boil. Using a small paring knife, remove the core from each tomato and mark a small cross on the base. Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water. The skin will quickly curl back at which point remove them from the water and set aside until they are cool enough to handle.
Pre-heat the oven to 180°. Halve the peppers lengthwise and remove the core, seeds and white pith. Lay the pepper halves skin side down in a shallow baking tray that will hold them comfortably.
When the tomatoes are cool enough to peel, cut in half and remove the skin and seeds. Roughly chop the flesh. Tear the basil leaves into pieces.
Fill the pepper halves with the pieces of tomato, garlic slices, basil and anchovies. They should be generously filled. Drizzle with olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper and bake on the middle shelf of your pre heated oven for 35 mins or until the peppers are soft and slightly blackened around the edges but still holding their shape.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
To make the basil oil
1 x large bunch of basil
Sea salt
100 mils of extra virgin olive oil
Remove the basil leaves from their stalks and place in a food processor, add a good pinch of salt and drizzle the olive oil in through the funnel at the top. It should be sludgy, very green and aromatic.
To serve
Simply arrange the peppers on a big serving plate and spoon over the basil oil. For a heartier dish, serve the peppers on a bed of lentils.
Choose a full-bodied red to complement the sweetness of the peppers and the aromas of the basil. Blended from Shiraz with a touch of Tempranillo, the Andrew Peace Signature Shiraz 2020 is smooth, with typical ripe black fruit flavours with a hint of cherry. And it’s £5.50 from selected Co-op stores – apwines.co.uk
Tips
These peppers are great as part of a larger meal, especially a barbecue but can also be served on their own. I often add a little mozzarella or goat’s cheese.
They are best on the day of serving and should always be served at room temperature as their flavour is much better.
Do not be tempted to omit the anchovies even if you think you don’t like them – they add a depth of flavour that cannot be replaced – it won’t taste fishy just perfectly seasoned!
Grilled lamb cutlets with asparagus, horseradish and salsa verde
Little lamb cutlets are delicious griddled or barbecued and cooked on the barbecue they are packed with flavour. Here they’re served with asparagus that can also be griddled over the coals. All the preparation can be done ahead and then it’s just a few minutes on the barbecue to create a stunning dish.
Serves 4
12-16 little lamb cutlets
A little extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 asparagus spears
For the salsa verde
1 tsp. of toasted, ground cumin seeds
A bunch of mint, leaves only
A bunch of basil, leaves only
A bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves only
A bunch of rocket
1/2 tbsp. of Dijon mustard
2 anchovies
1/2 tbsp. of capers
1 clove of garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp. of red wine vinegar
200mls of extra virgin olive oil
Horseradish cream
2 inches of fresh horseradish root grated
1 tbsp. of red wine vinegar
A pinch of sea salt
180mls of creme fraîche
To make the salsa verde
Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Pour in the oil slowly through the funnel in the top. You should have a sludgy, vibrant green sauce. Set aside until ready to use.
To make the horseradish cream
Place the grated horseradish into a bowl and pour over the red wine vinegar. Season with salt. Stir in the creme fraîche and place in the fridge until ready to use.
Place a large pot of well salted water on to boil. Trim the woody ends of the asparagus.
To make the lamb
Lay the lamb cutlets on a board. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper and brush with oil. Heat the barbecue or a griddle pan until smoking, and cook the cutlets 1-2 mins per side.
While the cutlets are cooking blanch the asparagus by dropping it into the boiling, well salted water. Cook for 40 seconds – it should still have a nice bite. Alternatively, griddle on the barbecue alongside the meat.
Remove the cutlets from the grill and squeeze over the lemon juice. Let rest for a few minutes to allow the meat to relax.
To serve
This is a real star of a dish so invest in the prep so you can simply griddle the lamb and serve on the day.
Arrange the cutlets and asparagus on a serving plate, spoon over the salsa verde and serve the horseradish cream alongside.
Choose a red that works in summer and well placed for lamb; The Unexpected Red is an offbeat blend of three classics; Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo with Sagrantino, which work together to create a smooth and full-bodied wine that is a rich, deep blood-red garnet colour with flavours of blackcurrant, bright cherry and hints of spice and violet. It’s in selected Co-op stores and inexpensive at £6.75 – apwines.co.uk
Tips
Make sure your meat is room temperature before you cook it – meat cooked straight from the fridge will take a lot longer.
It’s really important to allow meat to rest once it is cooked – it will have a much better textures and flavour.
The horseradish cream can be made the day before but salsa verde is best made on the day of eating as the herbs will keep their flavour a lot better.
Both Horseradish cream and salsa verde are incredibly versatile and can be used to brighten and flavour vegetables, fish and meat.
