A Pretend Chef

A very easy side salad that can be served with or without the cheese. An ideal accompaniment to a BBQ.  Ingredients 2 to 3 bunches of asparagus (approximately 20 to 30) 100gm baby spinach 1tbs olive oil (for grilling) 50gm to 70gm shaved parmasen cheese (my preference is reggiano) 2tbs extra virgin olive oil 1tbs good quality balsamic vinegar salt & pepper to taste Method After washing the asparagus, gently bend each piece till they snap and discard the woody base segment. Mix the asparagus in a large mixing bowl with the olive oil and cook over a high heat BBQ grill for 2-3 minutes then turnover and cook for another 2-3 minutes until they are lightly grilled, being careful not to burn them. Transfer the cooked asparagus pieces back to the mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly for a couple of minutes. Arrange the spinach on a large flat serving platter then layer the cooked asparagus pieces over the top. Sprinkle with the cheese. Drizzle over the extra vi...

Serves 4 A satisfying and super-healthy salad that can be served as a mid week main course. Easy to prepare and tastes amazing. You can also leave out the salmon and use this as a side salad to accompany barbecued meats. Ingredients 500gm salmon fillets (skin off) 2tbs olive oil (for frying fish) 100gm quinoa 1 brown onion finely chopped 2 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 stalk celery finely chopped 3 spring onion finely sliced 1 cup of rinsed tinned chickpeas 1 handful mint finely chopped 2 handfuls parsley finely chopped 2 Lebanese cucumbers, skinned, de-seeded and finely sliced 1 avocado, diced Juice of 1 lemon 4 tbs extra virgin olive oil Salt & pepper to taste 1 x freshly chopped, de-seeded chilli (optional) Method Heat 1tbs olive oil over a medium heat in a saucepan and add the onion, garlic and celery. Fry till soft, approximately 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add quinoa and pour in enough water (or stock) to cover by just over a centi...

I became addicted to chimichurri when I spent time in Argentina in 2009. The locals eat this sauce of finely chopped herbs with any kind of meat. Considering they eat meat with almost every meal, this is consumed in huge quantities. I love it. Every restaurant in Buenos Aires seems to have their own special recipe, however the common ingredients are parsley, garlic, onion, vinegar and olive oil. It's my favourite accompaniment to steak or any kind of sausage. I tend to make a batch every couple of weeks and it keeps in the refrigerator until I make my next batch when supplies run low. I've tried a few variations however this is my preferred recipe. You can hold off on the chilli if it's too hot. I like it hot. Ingredients 1 large bunch of continental parsley finely chopped 1 large bunch of oregano finely chopped 1 large bunch of coriander finely chopped 1 clove of garlic finely chopped 1 small red onion finely chopped 120ml red wine vinegar 200ml...

Serves 4 This is a great BBQ combination. Everything works well together and the toasted bread in the fattoush salad is a very effective way to get my kids to enjoy a healthy salad.  I've experimented with various ways to make Hummus. It's dead easy and the below recipe will leave you with enough for other meals. It will last for a week in the fridge. Usually Hummus is made with raw garlic. I make mine with roasted garlic which imparts a subtle nutty sweetness to the paste and doesn't leave you with garlic breath. Ingredients 1kg lamb fillet cut into 2 cm cubes 1 tspn. each of cumin seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds 1/2 tspn. sea salt 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil For Hummus 1 whole head of garlic 2 x 400gm tins of chick peas (rinsed thoroughly and drained) 1/2 cup tahini 3/4 cup water Juice of 1 lemon 1 tspn. sea salt Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling  A pinch of smokey paprika or cumin for topping For Fattoush Salad 100gm Turkish or...

Both the lamb and haloumi recipes are from Pete Evans' cookbook, Grill http://www.peterevanschef.com.au . This is one of the best BBQ cookbooks I've come across and it includes a range of cocktail recipes that make this book a unique addition to the cookbook library. The cocktail is truly undervalued as a great partner to any Aussie barbie! The original Spiced Lamb recipe from the Grill cookbook has these as skewers, however I've made them as small skinless sausages in this instance. Either way works. I just avoided using skewers for this recipe so it's a little more 'child friendly'. My youngest daughter, Emma, in particular can get very animated at the dinner table and skewers mixed with wild flourishing hand movements don't mix. The original lamb recipe includes hot paprika which I've not included, again aiming to make the meal more child friendly. I've also slightly changed the haloumi/chorizo salad recipe, again to better suit the palate of the ...

This is an easy salad ideal for a BBQ. I love fresh beetroot and broadbeans when they are in season. Ingredients 4 large or 5 medium beetroots Broadbeans (from approximately 10 pods) 1 clove garlic crushed 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1tbls of finely chopped parsley 1tbls of finely chopped basil 1 tbls of finely chopped mint Method Wash and trim the beets and place in a deep casserole or roasting tray, covered with foil. Roast the beets in an oven at 220C for 1hr 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Once cool remove skin and cut the beets into 1-2 cm pieces. Blanch beans in boiling water for 3 minutes then run under cold water. Remove skins and mix in a bowl with the beetroot pieces. Add all other ingredients, mix well and transfer to serving bowl.