LET’S GET THE CHARCOAL GOING...
The smoky, rich taste of food cooked over an open fire with charcoal or wood is one of country life’s true pleasures. Break away from bangers and burgers, and wow everyone with these sublime main courses, salads and desserts from chef Ben Tish.
Sizzle meat, seafood and vegetables on the barbecue
So, what to cook on?
Times have changed, and the choice of barbecues available now is staggering. Grill expert and chef Ben Tish of Ember Yard (emberyard.co.uk), who came up with these recipes, says, ‘Many people have embraced the Weber kettle-style barbecue and all the accessories that go with it, right down to the gloves and tongs. And very good they are, too. Then there’s the Big Green Egg, which is very special, but also very expensive thanks to its Nasa-designed insulation that lets you crank up the heat to ridiculously high temperatures. At our restaurant, we use a Robata-style grill, as favoured by the Japanese. But actually all you really need is a sturdy, robust barbecue with a large surface area, and a lid so you can smoke food. I’m not a huge fan of the gas barbecue, but if you have one, do use it for these recipes; you’ll just end up with different flavours.’
GRILLED LOBSTER WITH SMOKED BUTTER
Lobster is fantastic cooked over charcoal, and the shell imparts a sweet-smokiness as it chars.
Serves 4
2 x lobsters (750g-1kg each), preferably native Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
100g smoked butter, at room temperature (see recipe, right)
You’ll also need oak or apple wood chips for the fire
If you have live lobsters, put them in the freezer for an hour or so (but be careful not to freeze them) – this will put them to sleep, so that they can be dispatched as humanely as possible.
Light the barbecue and set for direct cooking. On the stove top, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil over a high heat. Plunge the lobsters into the boiling water and cook for 3 minutes before removing and plunging into cold water to stop the cooking process; the lobsters will be partly cooked at this stage.
Place the lobsters on their backs on a chopping board and, using a large, heavybladed knife, cut them in half lengthwise. Start by inserting the tip of the knife at the base of the tail behind the head and cutting down through the tail. Next, turn the lobster around and cut cleanly through the head; depending on the thickness of the shell, you may need to press the knife down to chop through it. Discard the coral and intestine from the head and crack each claw with the heel of a knife or a claw cracker. Be careful not to smash the claws completely – you just want to crack the shell and expose the meat.
Season the lobster meat and smear the tails with some of the smoked butter. Throw a good handful of wood chips on the charcoal and place the lobsters, shell-side down, on the grill. Close the lid of the barbecue and cook the lobsters for 6 minutes until the meat is just cooked through and the shell has started to blacken.
remove the lobsters from the grill and serve with the rest of the smoked butter on the side. A lobster pick or metal skewer is a handy tool for getting all the small pieces of meat out from the knuckles.
SMOKED BUTTER
This needs a cold-smoking device (try Not on the High Street) and wood chips.
MAKES 500g 500g cold unsalted butter, diced
Set up the device in the barbecue with wood chips and get it going. Scatter the diced butter in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place it on the rack in the barbecue, close the lid and vent, and cold-smoke for 1 hour. Transfer the butter to a container, cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
BARBECUED MUSHROOMS WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC
Choose firm meaty mushrooms for barbecuing, such as porcini, king oyster or big flat portobellos.
Serves 4
100g unsalted butter, softened
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 rosemary sprigs, leaves chopped, stalks reserved
2 tsp dark soy sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
8-12 portobello or flat-cap meaty mushrooms, stalks intact
Olive oil, for cooking
First, light the barbecue and set for direct/indirect cooking.
Place the butter in a bowl and stir through the garlic, chopped rosemary and soy sauce, then season with pepper. Leave out of the fridge.
Clean the mushrooms with damp kitchen paper, if necessary, and trim the very ends of the stalks. Drizzle with olive oil and season.
Dampen the rosemary stalks with a little water and throw them onto the charcoal. Place the mushrooms gill-side up on the grill in the direct heat zone and divide half the butter between the mushroom cups, then close the lid of the barbecue. Cook for 5 minutes, then check to see if the mushrooms are cooked through.
Transfer the cooked mushrooms to the perimeter of the indirect heat zone. Divide the remaining butter evenly between them and leave for a minute or two to let the butter melt before serving.
PAELLA
Cooking paella on a barbecue adds an extra touch of smoke and flame to the perfect party dish.
Serves about 6
Olive oil, for cooking
250g spicy cooking chorizo, skinned and roughly chopped
2 large chicken thighs or rabbit legs, boned, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 small red peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
1 chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp smoked paprika
500g paella rice (such as Bomba or Calasparra) 1 tsp saffron threads, infused in 1 tsp warm water Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
200ml dry white wine
200ml dry sherry, such as fino
200ml good-quality fish or chicken stock
500g whole plum tomatoes, finely chopped
200g mussels, cleaned and debearded
200g squid, cleaned and cut into bite-size pieces 6 large tiger prawns with shells on
Juice of 1 lemon and ½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, to serve
You’ll also need oak, apple or birch wood chips for the fire
Light the barbecue and set for direct cooking. Set a paella pan or large ovenproof frying pan in the direct heat zone of the barbecue and add some olive oil. Throw in the chorizo and cook for 2 minutes, stirring briskly, to release its juices. add the chicken or rabbit and brown on each side before adding the onion, garlic, peppers and chilli. Cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring as you go, until everything has softened but not coloured. Now add the paprika, rice and saffron and stir everything together well. Season, then stir in the wine, sherry, stock and tomatoes and leave to cook for 12 minutes without stirring. The idea with paella is that you let the rice in contact with the base and sides of the pan lightly caramelise, unlike a risotto.
Now stir the mussels into the rice and place the squid and prawns on top of the rice, without stirring them through. If the rice is looking too dry, add a little water at this stage.
Throw a handful of wood chips onto the coals, then close the lid of the barbecue and cook the paella for 8 minutes, by which time the rice and seafood should be just cooked through. Squeeze over some lemon juice, sprinkle over the parsley and serve.
FLORENTINE-STYLE STEAK
Inspired by the rustic simplicity of Tuscan cooking, this steak is first brined and cold-smoked.
Serves 4
2 x T-bone steaks (around 1kg each) or 2 sirloin or rump steaks of similar thickness (around 600g each)
Brine for red meat (see recipe, page 127) Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Olive oil, for cooking
Extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves finely chopped Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
You’ll also need a cold-smoking device and oak wood dust
Submerge the steaks in the brine in a non-reactive container and leave for 1 hour.
Light and set the cold-smoking device in the barbecue. Place the steaks on the rack in the barbecue and smoke for 2 hours and 20 minutes. Transfer the steaks to a bowl, then cover and allow to rest in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Light the barbecue and set for direct/ indirect cooking.
Season the steaks, rub with a little olive oil and then place on the grill over the direct heat zone. Cook for 3 minutes until nicely charred and caramelised, then turn them over and cook for a further 3 minutes before transferring them to the perimeter of the indirect heat zone for 2 minutes to rest. These cooking times will give you medium-rare steaks – if you want them cooked medium, then add another 2 minutes for each side.
Transfer the steaks to a chopping board.
Cut the meat off the bone (if necessary), then thickly slice each piece before reassembling. Transfer to a clean board or platter, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle over the garlic, rosemary and lemon zest.
Choose colourful heritage carrots to give this salad visual appeal, and cook in a foil parcel to retain their natural sweetness and flavour.
Serves 4
1.2kg mixed heritage or bunched organic carrots, stalks removed (save feathery tops for the salad) 50g unsalted butter
1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1½ tbsp cumin seeds
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g French Breakfast or White Icicle radishes, trimmed
2 handfuls mixed salad leaves
1½ tbsp blossom honey
1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
First light the barbecue and set for direct/indirect cooking.
Spread out a double layer of foil large enough to enclose the carrots. Place the carrots on the foil, then dot with the butter and add a drizzle of the olive oil, reserving the rest. Scatter over the garlic and 1 tbsp of the cumin seeds, then season well before wrapping up the foil to make a well-sealed parcel.
Using long-handled tongs, nestle the parcel into the coals and cook for about 35-45 minutes, depending on the thickness of the carrots. When they are ready, they should be nice and tender. Carefully remove the parcel from the barbecue, then leave to rest and cool for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, use a pestle and mortar or spice grinder to coarsely crush the remaining cumin seeds. Finely slice the radishes and place in a bowl, along with the salad leaves. Cut the carrots into diagonal wedges and add to the bowl.
To make the salad dressing, whisk together the honey, vinegar and remaining olive oil, then stir in the crushed cumin seeds. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well, mixing in any feathery carrot tops. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and serve. This recipe makes extra honeycomb, but it keeps for a few days and adds crunch to other puds.
Serves 4
Butter, for greasing
100g caster sugar
35g liquid glucose
3 tsp honey
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 small oranges, such as blood oranges, or 2 large navel oranges
200g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting 150g thick Greek yogurt
1 tsp culinary orange flower water
Make the honeycomb ahead. Lightly grease a baking sheet with butter. Place the sugar, glucose, honey and 1 tbsp water in a medium saucepan and cook over high heat on the stove top until golden brown. Immediately add the bicarbonate of soda and give it three sharp whisks – the honeycomb will rapidly expand and rise up like an erupting volcano. When this happens, give it another quick whisk then remove the pan from the heat and pour the frothing honeycomb onto the prepared sheet. Leave to settle and get cold. The honeycomb keeps for up to a week in an airtight container (but not in the fridge, or it will lose its crunch). Light the barbecue and set for direct cooking. Slice the top and bottom off each orange, then sit it on a chopping board. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully cut away all the skin and pith from the oranges, then slice each one into 4 even rounds. Dust with the extra sugar, then place on the grill and cook for 3 minutes either side until charred and tender.
Meanwhile, place the remaining 200g sugar and 200ml of water in a large non-stick frying pan. Heat on the barbecue, without stirring, until you have a deep-brown caramel.
Carefully transfer the oranges to the pan and move it to the edge of the barbecue to cook slowly for 5 minutes or until the oranges are syrupy, soft and delicious. remove from the heat but leave the oranges to cool in the syrup.
Whisk the yogurt with the orange flower water and serve with the oranges. Drizzle with a little syrup and scatter with crumbled honeycomb.