Bring out the barbie
LUKE HINES SHARES his absolute favourite barbecue recipes, with more than 80 quick, vibrant and flavour-packed dishes for weeknights, entertaining . . . in fact any time, in his latest cookbook Barbecue This!
Hines is all about helping people live their best lives, with a contagiously positive energy and a holistic approach that nourishes from the inside out.
Barbecue This! is a fun, modern and totally irresistible book for anyone who wants ideas for simple meals to whip up on the barbie.
Here is one of the recipes from the book:
CHARRED CAULIFLOWER with REALLY GOOD ROMESCO
It’s no secret that I am a lover of all things cauliflower, and I view each cookbook as another opportunity to introduce you guys to new, delicious ways of enjoying it. This time, I was playing around with flavours and was blown away by how well a smoky romesco sauce paired with cauliflower, so I just had to share it. The total cooking time for the cauli will vary based on how thick you slice the steaks and the heat of your grill, so please check as you go and simply add or subtract .
Ingredients
2 heads of cauliflower
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp honey, maple syrup or monk fruit syrup sea salt
1⁄2 tsp dried chilli flakes
3 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves 3 Tbsp walnuts or pecans, toasted and roughly chopped
1 lemon, cut into wedges
REALLY GOOD ROMESCO:
2 large red capsicums, quartered, deseeded and membranes removed
80g (1⁄2 cup) blanched almonds
1 garlic clove, quartered
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp dried chilli flakes sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the barbecue grill to hot.
For the romesco sauce, place the capsicum on the grill and cook for 4–5 minutes on each side or until the skin is blistered and blackened.
Transfer to a bowl, cover and set aside for five minutes. Remove and discard the skin, then place the capsicum in a food processor with the almonds and garlic and process until finely chopped. Add the vinegar, olive oil, tomato paste and chilli flakes. Season well with salt and pepper. Process until the mixture is combined, then set aside.
Cut off the stem at the bottom of each head of cauliflower so that they sit flat on a chopping board. Cut each one in half, then trim off the rounded edges to create four thick steaks. Alternatively, you can cut each head of cauliflower into four thinner steaks, which will cook slightly faster if you are short on time. (Make sure you save any offcuts from creating your steaks for another use, such as drizzling with oliveoil and roasting in the oven until lovely and crispy!)
In a large, shallow bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic and sweetener of choice. Season well with salt, then add the cauliflower and gently toss with your hands to coat.
Reduce the barbecue grill to medium.
Place the cauliflower on the grill, close the lid and cook for 5-6 minutes or until beginning to char. Brush any remaining marinade over the cauli, then turn, close the lid and cook for a further 5-6 minutes or until charred on the outside, golden brown around the edges and tender inside. You can tell when your cauliflower steaks are done by gently inserting a fork — if it glides in easily without much resistance, you’re good to go. Remove from the grill.
To serve, spread the romesco sauce on a large platter, then top with the cauliflower steaks. Sprinkle with the chilli flakes, parsley and walnuts or pecans. Serve hot with the lemon wedges for squeezing over.
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