BBQ Season
With spring in our step and daylight savings giving us an extra hour of sunlight it's time to get the BBQ's clean, the tongs out and the steak marinating.
After what has seemed like the winter that went on forever, with the BBQ couped up under its cover, it's vital we get her all cleaned up for the summer months ahead. There are so many different tricks for cleaning BBQ's out there but I personally like the stress-free, mess-free option - oil the BBQ up, get it burning on a high heat and let the cleaning take place without moving another muscle. Another thing I like to do it to pour a little beer on it to really make sure shes squeaky clean.
As quintessential kiwis, we all know what we like when it comes to BBQ'd proteins but what people sometimes put aside is the marinade, which in my opinion is one of the best things that can happen to a cut of meat or grilled veggies.
My personal favourite is the humble green dressing, it can be adapted with the smallest of tweaks to inspire a different flavour combination, poured over grilled veggies to create a Gado Gado salad or by adding some extra Dijon mustard it can be used as a marinade for steak, chicken or fish.
Green Dressing
Ingredients
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp chilli flakes
Large handful parsley, including stems
Large handful coriander, including roots
Large handful spinach
3 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 cup rice bran oil
salt and pepper
Makes 3 cups
Takes 10 minutes
DF | GF | Vegan
Method
Add garlic, mustard, lemon juice and chilli flakes to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse to break down the garlic. Add herbs and spinach, then blitz to a paste. With the food processor still running, add the vinegar and then drizzle in the oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
This recipe is such a great base - for a Mexican-inspired dressing I add a handful of jalapeños, for a Mediterranean touch I throw in a few anchovies and some capers - and it's a fantastic way to use up herbs that are bolting in your garden or looking slightly wilted in your fridge. Use it to dress salads, vegetables, eggs and meats.
One final trick that is relatively unheard of is based around the kiwifruit - if you peel and mash a kiwifruit up and add it to your marinade, the natural enzymes will help tenderise the meat, especially steak. - NOW THIS will make for a seriously kiwi summer.
Recipe from page 75 of My Underground Deli
check out my full interview with the AM show on how to create the ultimate summer BBQ here