It's barbecue season so....

[Workingman]

I'll start with kebab skewers.

500g minced beef, lamb or pork
½ grated onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 dsp tomato purée
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp salt
good grind of black pepper
oil

(adjust the spices to your desire)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl then form into kebabs about 10-12 cm long and 3cm in diameter on wooden skewers. Brush lightly with oil then cook just off the main heat turning constantly.

Next.

[tonicha]

Or get the butcher to half/quarter/ do the Portuguesey bit and chop it all to bits, light the bbq and chuck it all on.

Add piri-piri and we're away

Seriously, we do a lot of barbies, do potatoes in foil, kebabs, chicken in foil and I'll even cook garlic on there. But not normally burgers or bangers, not the one's we get here anyway.

[Workingman]

Make your own burgers.... mince, egg, breadcrumbs, seasoning, a few herbs and/or spices. Shape into patties and turn into charcoal on the BBQ.

Simples.

[tonicha]

I do WM and as hopefully the weather is going to improve over the next few days, we should be back to bbq ing next week.

[Workingman]

So, when the weather turns, how about boned and skinned chicken thighs?

Prick the thighs on both sides with a pointy knife then marinade overnight in a slurry of plain yoghurt or buttermilk, runny honey, soy sauce and a mix of your favourite herbs and/or spices. Curry powder for Indian, five spice for Chines or oregano, basil an thyme for a Mediterranean hit.

BBQ turning regularly so as not to burn. Dee-lish.

[tonicha]

Although we eat a lot of chicken, I'm not really (in fact, not at all ) a bone stripper.

Any ideas for chicken breasts on the bbq?

I was thinking of battered and slightly flat chicken breast, with oil, orange slices, wrapped in foil, but any other ideas warmley welcomed xx

[Workingman]

I prefer BBQ chicken breasts a bit on the simple side rather than highly spiced - that's more for drumsticks and thighs.

A fairly tasty way is to mash a stock cube (or two) into a little warm oil with a good sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper. Lightly score the breasts on both sides and rub in the stock cube mix. Leave to marinade for an hour or so then cook on the medium hot part of the BBQ turning frequently.

Never heard of them being done in foil, but I like the orange idea, maybe with butter instead of oil.

[tonicha]

The orange idea was because we went to a restaurant a few years ago and out came the bbq'ed butterfly chicken, with slices of orange.

Quite common over here with orange or lemon slices.

Do you know, I think if I ever went back to England, I loathe the food? We're so used to organic, salt free stuff now.