Part two of barbecue ideas this week, and thankfully the weather has been better. Whether you are using charcoal or gas, always lightly brush the cooking rack with a little oil before cooking. This will prevent the food sticking to it. When cooking with a foil parcel, always use an extra-thick heavy-duty foil. And have a spray bottle of water handy to put out any flames when they appear. Practice makes perfect.
I love these flavoured butters and you can use them throughout the year with grilled chicken, with fish or even a simple baked potato. All these butters can be made in advance and will keep for up to one week in the fridge or up to two months in the freezer.
T-bone steaks are delicious. The red wine would add flavour and colour but you do not need it. You could use 100ml of rapeseed oil instead.
This is a different way of cooking sweetcorn. It is started off in a foil parcel until it is tender and then unwrapped and finished off over the coals so that it chars and takes on some of the lovely smoky flavour. It is tasty with one of the savoury butters and sweetcorn has great texture.
Happy cooking,
Neven.
Savoury butters
Each of these butters are enough for about 20 servings
Garlic and parsley butter:
250g (9oz) butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp capers, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Soften the butter in a bowl. Then add the garlic, capers, parsley, salt and pepper. Shape and roll the butter in parchment paper to give a cylinder shape. Chill to firm up, then cut into rounds to use.Chilli and orange butter:
250g (9oz) butter
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
grated rind of 1 large orange
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Soften the butter in a bowl, then add the oil, chillies, orange rind, salt and pepper. Shape and roll in parchment paper to give a cylinder shape. Chill to firm up completely, then cut into rounds to use.Shallot and tarragon butter
1 large shallot, finely chopped
120ml (4fl oz) dry white wine
250g (9oz) butter
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
Place the shallot and wine in a small pan and reduce until almost dry. Leave to cool completely. Soften the butter in a bowl, then add the shallot mixture, the tarragon, salt and pepper. Shape and roll in parchment paper to give a cylinder shape. Chill to firm up, then cut into rounds to use.
Aussie steaks
Serves four
1 bottle Shiraz red wine
1 garlic bulb
1 tbsp mixed peppercorns
1 heaped tsp rosemary sprigs
1 heaped tsp thyme sprigs
4 x 300g (10oz) T-bone steaks
50g flavoured butter (choose from the separate recipe selection)
mixed green salad and jacket potatoes, to serve (optional)
1 Pour half the bottle of wine into a non-metallic dish. Cut the garlic bulb in half across the equator and add to the wine.2 Coarsely crush the peppercorns in a pestle and mortar and add with the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Add the steaks, turning to coat and set aside to marinade for at least half an hour and anything up to 24 hours for a more intense flavour.3 Lift the steaks out of the marinade and shake off any excess. Cook over medium coals for 2-3 minutes for rare, 3-4 minutes for medium and 5-6 minutes for well done, turning occasionally. Cut the flavoured butter of your choice into four equal pieces and arrange a piece on each steak on warm plates. Add a mixed green salad and jacket potato to each one if liked.Chargrilled sweetcorn
Serves six
6 ears of sweetcorn, peeled
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
50g (2oz) garlic & herb butter (see separate recipe)
1 Rub the sweetcorn with a little more oil, dot here and there with half of the garlic and herb butter and wrap tightly up in foil.2 Barbecue over medium-hot coals for 20 minutes, turning every now and then, to ensure that they cook evenly.3 Unwrap the corn, return them to the barbecue and cook directly over the coals for another 10-15 minutes, turning every now and then, until richly coloured. Serve on hot plates smeared with the rest of the garlic and herb butter.
Part two of barbecue ideas this week, and thankfully the weather has been better. Whether you are using charcoal or gas, always lightly brush the cooking rack with a little oil before cooking. This will prevent the food sticking to it. When cooking with a foil parcel, always use an extra-thick heavy-duty foil. And have a spray bottle of water handy to put out any flames when they appear. Practice makes perfect.
I love these flavoured butters and you can use them throughout the year with grilled chicken, with fish or even a simple baked potato. All these butters can be made in advance and will keep for up to one week in the fridge or up to two months in the freezer.
T-bone steaks are delicious. The red wine would add flavour and colour but you do not need it. You could use 100ml of rapeseed oil instead.
This is a different way of cooking sweetcorn. It is started off in a foil parcel until it is tender and then unwrapped and finished off over the coals so that it chars and takes on some of the lovely smoky flavour. It is tasty with one of the savoury butters and sweetcorn has great texture.
Happy cooking,
Neven.
Savoury butters
Each of these butters are enough for about 20 servings
Garlic and parsley butter:
250g (9oz) butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp capers, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Soften the butter in a bowl. Then add the garlic, capers, parsley, salt and pepper. Shape and roll the butter in parchment paper to give a cylinder shape. Chill to firm up, then cut into rounds to use.Chilli and orange butter:
250g (9oz) butter
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 red chillies, seeded and finely chopped
grated rind of 1 large orange
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Soften the butter in a bowl, then add the oil, chillies, orange rind, salt and pepper. Shape and roll in parchment paper to give a cylinder shape. Chill to firm up completely, then cut into rounds to use.Shallot and tarragon butter
1 large shallot, finely chopped
120ml (4fl oz) dry white wine
250g (9oz) butter
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
Place the shallot and wine in a small pan and reduce until almost dry. Leave to cool completely. Soften the butter in a bowl, then add the shallot mixture, the tarragon, salt and pepper. Shape and roll in parchment paper to give a cylinder shape. Chill to firm up, then cut into rounds to use.
Aussie steaks
Serves four
1 bottle Shiraz red wine
1 garlic bulb
1 tbsp mixed peppercorns
1 heaped tsp rosemary sprigs
1 heaped tsp thyme sprigs
4 x 300g (10oz) T-bone steaks
50g flavoured butter (choose from the separate recipe selection)
mixed green salad and jacket potatoes, to serve (optional)
1 Pour half the bottle of wine into a non-metallic dish. Cut the garlic bulb in half across the equator and add to the wine.2 Coarsely crush the peppercorns in a pestle and mortar and add with the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Add the steaks, turning to coat and set aside to marinade for at least half an hour and anything up to 24 hours for a more intense flavour.3 Lift the steaks out of the marinade and shake off any excess. Cook over medium coals for 2-3 minutes for rare, 3-4 minutes for medium and 5-6 minutes for well done, turning occasionally. Cut the flavoured butter of your choice into four equal pieces and arrange a piece on each steak on warm plates. Add a mixed green salad and jacket potato to each one if liked.Chargrilled sweetcorn
Serves six
6 ears of sweetcorn, peeled
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
50g (2oz) garlic & herb butter (see separate recipe)
1 Rub the sweetcorn with a little more oil, dot here and there with half of the garlic and herb butter and wrap tightly up in foil.2 Barbecue over medium-hot coals for 20 minutes, turning every now and then, to ensure that they cook evenly.3 Unwrap the corn, return them to the barbecue and cook directly over the coals for another 10-15 minutes, turning every now and then, until richly coloured. Serve on hot plates smeared with the rest of the garlic and herb butter. 
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