18 Degree This Wknd - BBQ'd Veg Salad

Come summer or a sunny(ish) day for the matter I'm up for a BBQ. This is a super simple dish that shows you how to use seasonal fresh ingredients to create the easiests of salads. For me this is what salads are all about. This is a great accompaniment for BBQ'd meats but as we're sticking to the vegetarian vibe it also works well with home made veggie patties, BBQ's halloumi, BBQ'd courgette and aubergine, smoked cheese also work well when livening up veggie burgers and salads, mixed vegetable and cheese skewers are also a winning move. Don't be afraid to try different variations of vegetables, the rainbow carrots, look even more appetising as does the chinese cauliflower and these both cook in exactly the same way as regular carrots or cauliflower. Give them a try.

This salad combines zesty simple flavours and it works just perfectly...try it. 

Caper, Black Olive, Lemon and Parsley Dressing

1 x Jar of Black Olives

1x Bunch Of Fresh Parsley (finely)

1 x Small Jar (250g) Of Capers

2 x Lemons (1/2 Zest Of One Lemon)

3 x Big Glugs Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt & White Pepper (generous amount)

Feeds 6/8

Preparation/Cooking Time- 15/20mins

2 x Bunches purple sprouting broccoli (Ends chopped off and sliced long ways in half-decreases cooking time)

1x Chinese cauliflower 

1 x Big nob of butter

2x Crushed garlic cloves

Rock salt & black pepper

Cooked in a copper/metal pot on the BBQ- Make sure no plastic is put on the BBQ, it melts!

Oven gloves are a MUST.

Instructions -

Add the butter , rock salt and crushed garlic to the pan and rest the metal pan on the BBQ, on the grate rather than directly on the coals. Stir fry as you would on the hob. Cook for around 3/4 minutes. Serve while it's still hot and crunchy.

Rainbow Carrots, Asparagus, Courgette & Whole Onions

7/8 x Selection of Rainbow Carrots 

1 x Bunch of asparagus

1 x Courgette

Peel both your carrots and onions- and slice carrots in half. Wash and slice the courgettes, remove the ends of the asparagus.

Instructions - 

I cooked the carrots for 15minutes on 200degrees in the oven before BBQing them, this way they cook through rather than just blacken and remain hard. 

Once you've coloured and turned over the veg on the BBQ add the veg to the dressing above- mix throughly and serve. 

Depending on how hot your BBQ is cook for around 2/3minutes.

Also make sure you place the veg on the BBQ the opposite direction of the lines of the grate to ensure you don't lose any veg down the gaps.