Barbeques - The MAN'S story!!
Ahh yes... The Barbeque!!
The Man's Kitchen. I'm a man. Men cook outside. This is what we do.. We eat red meat, we drink beer, we build Barbeques! As William Geist of The New York Times Magazine said.. “I'm a man. Men cook outside. Women make the three-bean salad. That's the way it is and always has been, since the first settlers of Levittown. That outdoor grilling is a manly pursuit has long been beyond question. If this wasn't firmly understood, you'd never get grown men to put on those aprons with pictures of dancing wienies and things on the front, and messages like 'Come N' Get It!' Some men wear little chefs hats, too, accessorized with big padded barbecue gloves. They wear them willingly without a whimper. Try putting that stuff on the family dog.”
Hamburgers!! YUMMMMMM!!!!
I don't like American style hamburgers so much. I find them to be oily and not much inside. My hamburgers are actually quite healthy! I buy Australian mince from The Meat Guy and my buns from my friend Didier at Blanc Pain. If you're making the patties, allow about 200g per burger.
Hamburger Pattie Ingredients
1kg mince
2 cups breadcrumbs
2 onions (chopped)
1 clove Garlic (finely chopped)
Mixed herbs
2 eggs
Plain flour
Salt & Pepper
Method
In a large bowl mix the mince, breadcrumbs, chopped onions, chopped garlic, mixed herbs and eggs. Make the mixture into balls about 200g each. Roll the balls in the flour. Keep the mince balls in that shape until you put them on the BBQ, then flatten out with a spatula while cooking.
Toppings
Limited only by your imagination! I use, among other things, sliced pinapple and beetroot. Some other toppings I use are lettuce, tomato, fried egg, fried onion, bacon, cheese, whole grain mustard or BBQ sauce.
Barbeque Sauce
Try this… Great for hamburgers, lamb chops, steak sandwiches… Just about anything from the BBQ!!
Ingredients
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 - 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dry mustard powder
1tbl spoon sugar (optional)
Method
Add just a little Worcestershire sauce to the mustard powder and mix into a paste. Add more (up to 1/4 cup). Mix with the tomato sauce, taste and add more Worcestershire sauce as desired.
The Vegetarian BBQ
Vegetarians… Can’t live with ‘em, Can’t kill ‘em!! I don’t even know what a vegetarian is anymore! Do vegetarians eat fish? eggs? Chicken? They all seem to have different ideas about what they can eat… well here’s a dish for them, and also a good side dish for the girls who think it’s healthier than the meat…
Barbequed Vegies
Ingredients (Any quantity)
Capsicum
Large Chilli peppers
Zucchini (or other kind of Squash)
Eggplant
Cherry tomatoes
Onion
Pumpkin
A little Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Method
When buying the ingredients, try to mix the colours. Capsicum and chilli come in many different colours. When you eventually mix all of these the olive oil will bring out the orange, red and green colours vividly! Chillis are not all hot. Rule of thumb is the smaller the chilli, the hotter it will be. If you don’t like it hot, remove the seeds… that’s the spiciest part.
Grill the capsicum and chillis whole, turning occasionally until the skin blackens and they are soft. Cut the other ingredients into large pieces and also grill. Gently pull out the core of the capsicums and chillis. Cut them in half lengthways and lay flat on a cutting board skin side up. With the back of a knife, (or even with your hand) scrape off the blackened part. Don’t worry if you don’t get it all as that adds to the colour and BBQ flavour too. By grilling them and removing the skin, you will find a beautifully, natural sweet aroma and taste! Add all the vegetables to a bowl and mix the olive oil, salt & pepper to taste.
Potato Salad
Ingredients
1kg baby potatoes
1 Chicken stock cube
4 rashers bacon
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tbl spoons light mayonnaise
Method
Scrub the potatoes clean (don’t peel) and cut in half. Boil with the chicken stock for a short time so that they are still firm. Drain the water and set the potatoes aside to cool. Slice the garlic and shallow fry in a little olive oil until golden brown. Fry the bacon and drain on absorbent paper. Chop the garlic and bacon and add to the potatoes. Add the mayonnaise and gently stir to mix cover all the ingredients in the mayonnaise. Tear the basil by hand and add.
Orange Carrot Jelly
This is the easiest of all and a different as a sidedish for the barby or even as a dessert!
Ingredients
1 pack of orange jelly
1 carrot
Method
Make the jelly as per the instructions on the packet. Use a peeler or grater to take long strips from the carrot so that they curl. Add to the jelly mix when it cools, but before it sets. Finish setting in the fridge.
Sweet Potato Icecream
Here's a dessert great for after a BBQ on a hot day. It sounds a little strange, but trust, it's refreshing and GREAT!
Ingredients
350g Sweet potato (Chopped)
2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar (I used less)
1 1/2 tsp ground Cardamom
400g Sweetened Condensed Milk
300ml thickened cream
Grated lime rind
Chopped nuts
Method
Combine sweet potato, milk, Cardamom in a saucepan and stir without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered until sweet potato is soft. About 15min).
Let cool.
Blend or process until smooth. Blend in the condensed milk and add a spoon of chopped lime rind.
Pour into a shallow tray and freeze.
Serve with some chopped nuts and grated lime.
OISHI!!


