Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
LET MASTERCHEF JUDGE INSPIRE
Everyone loves a curry, and this has the taste of a takeaway without spending the money. My father-in-law Massimo likes it spicier than everyone else, so he gets a bit of extra chilli on his.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup plain yoghurt (you can use buttermilk instead)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
3 minced garlic cloves
2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp ground paprika
Practise with one piece of chicken first, to make sure you get the rest just right
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cayenne
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander 12 skinless chicken thighs (bone in)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
METHOD
In a bowl, mix together the yoghurt, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and ginger. Stir in the paprika, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, garam masala and coriander. Set aside.
Place the chicken thighs in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour the yoghurt mixture over the chicken, give it a massage, then seal. Place the sealed bag in a bowl and chill in the fridge for eight hours, or overnight if possible.
Preheat an outdoor barbecue for direct medium heat. Oil the cooking grate with vegetable oil.
Remove the chicken from the bag, and discard the marinade. Place the chicken on the barbecue and cook for about three minutes. Turn, and cook for three minutes more. Then arrange the chicken so it is in indirect heat, and cook for around 30 minutes.
MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace loves nothing more than getting his family and friends together to enjoy good food. And he insists that you don’t have to spend a fortune to enjoy a great summer feast.
“Sunshine, beer and a burger with friends and family… what could be better?” says Gregg.
“I love sitting in the sun and chatting. The British summer is two hot days and a thunderstorm so if we do get the chance to sit outside, enjoy it.”
The 55-year-old reckons that when it comes to successful al fresco dining, there are some simple dos and don’ts.
Gregg says: “You must have a place to sit down, proper plates and proper knives and forks.
“You’ve given me a drink, now you’re giving me a burger that needs cutting, a paper plate and plastic cutlery that won’t suffer even the slightest bit of downward pressure and one paper napkin… pack it in! It’s a balancing act not even a circus performer could manage.
DELICIOUS
“I’m all for the charcoal grill and I love al fresco dining, but there is no reason for a paper plate, a plastic fork and standing up.”
When it comes to entertainment, Gregg also has a few rules to abide by.
“Only play music by dead people and
Abba,” he says. “Otherwise, the kids will take over!”
Gregg lives with wife Anna, 33, their oneyear-old son Sid, his daughter Libby, 23, and
Anna’s Italian parents, Rina and Massimo.
He says: “It works beautifully and we all come together for food.
“There’s always good coffee on the go and
I’ll often walk in to a pot of something delicious cooking on the stove.”
During lockdown, self-confessed workaholic Gregg – who recently lost four stone – has launched a fitness website with Anna and Libby.
Here, he shares some of his favourite barbecue recipes with Sunday Mirror readers. They are all both delicious and healthy – so if the sun’s shining, why not give them a go?
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
450g ground beef
1 egg, beaten
2 cloves garlic, grated
100g dry breadcrumbs 3 tbsp whole milk
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp olive oil
Preheat the grill to a high heat.
Make sure you add the water a little at a time. Remember, you can always add more but you can’t take it away. If it’s too wet, you won’t have burgers – you’ll have a bowl of cereal
In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, egg, garlic, breadcrumbs, milk and Worcestershire sauce together.
Using your hands, shape the mixture into four hamburger patties. Lightly oil the grill and grill the patties for five minutes per side, or until well done.
When you eat, cut your burger in half. It’s really difficult to eat a burger and hold a drink. Use the ketchup as a dip too – don’t put it on the burger or it’ll end up down your shirt
These are great because you only need one hand to eat them. That means your other hand will be free to hold a beer! INGREDIENTS Wooden skewers 2 blocks of halloumi 4 tbsp olive oil
Freshly cracked black pepper
Serve with a little bowl of sweet chilli sauce or a bowl of soy sauce
Soak some wooden skewers in water for about 10 minutes so that they don’t burn when on the barbecue or in the pan.
Slice the blocks of halloumi lengthways into thick fingers, then insert the skewer lengthways through the cheese.
Drizzle with olive oil and freshly cracked black pepper. Pop skewers straight into a hot, dry pan or the barbecue for 5 minutes before turning to colour the other side too.