Marinades and sauces

Charred chilli salsa

This salsa goes great with grilled meats, making it the perfect accompaniment to a barbecue spread.

2 5 M I N U T E S | SE RV E S 8-10 A S A SI DE E A SY | GF

mild red chillies 6 scotch bonnet chilli 1 spring onions 6 plum tomatoes 4 ground cumin 1/2 tsp limes 2, juiced coriander a small bunch, roughly chopped

1 Heat a barbecue, grill or griddle pan over a high heat and cook the chillies, spring onions and tomatoes for 10-15 minutes, turning regularly, until charred and softened. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, then remove most of the burnt skins from the veg, as well as the seeds from the chillies. Discard. 2 Put the charred veg on a board and finely chop, mixing them as you go. Tip into a bowl with the cumin, lime juice and coriander. Season and serve.

Ultimate BBQ sauce

2 HOU R S 2 0 M I N U T E S | M A K E S 1 . 5 L I T R E S E A SY | onions 2 large, chopped groundnut oil 3 tbsp passata 400ml chopped tomatoes 3 x 400g tins white wine vinegar 200ml dark brown sugar 4 tbsp sea salt flakes 2 tsp black peppercorns 15 twists of a grinder smoked paprika 1 tbsp mild chilli powder 2 tbsp cloves 6, ground black treacle 1 tbsp orange juice 200ml dijon mustard 4 tbsp

1 Cook the onions in the oil for 10-15 minutes until softened and golden. Add all the remaining ingredients, bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. 2 Blitz with a hand blender. Store in sterilised jars in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Use as a dip or brush on chicken for the final 5 minutes of cooking.

BBQ 101 Tips and tricks

❚ Don’t be tempted to grill over flaming coals. When the flames have died down and the coals are ashen, it’s ready to use. ❚ Have a spray bottle of water to hand to dampen down any large flames that may rise when hot fat drips onto the coals. ❚ Use two pairs of tongs for cooking if you can – one for raw meats and another for cooked food. ❚ If you’re serving veggies or vegans, make sure you use one side of the barbecue for meat and the other side for vegetables or plant-based foods. You can wrap a coil of foil down the centre of the barbecue before you heat it up to mark out the two areas. You should also use separate tongs.

5 EASY MARINADES Chermoula

Wholegrain mustard

Combine 3 tbsp of wholegrain mustard, the juice of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of runny honey, 1 tbsp of white wine vinegar and 1 tsp of thyme leaves. Use to marinate steaks or veg.

Ginger and chilli

Combine 4 tbsp of sriracha, a chopped stalk of lemongrass, a peeled and grated chunk of ginger, 1 tbsp of palm sugar and the juice of 2 limes in a bowl. Use to marinate salmon fillets or chicken before grilling. Put the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp of ground cumin, 1 tsp of smoked paprika, a small bunch of coriander, 1 chopped red chilli and 2 chopped garlic cloves in a food processor and whizz, adding enough olive oil to make a marinade (about 4-6 tbsp). Use to marinate firm fish such as tuna or salmon, or veg, before grilling.

Jerk

Whizz 4 chopped spring onions in a food processor with 2 chopped scotch bonnet chillies, 3 crushed garlic cloves, a small grated chunk of ginger, the leaves from 6 thyme sprigs, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, 3 ground cloves, 2 tsp of ground allspice berries, 3 tbsp of dark brown sugar, 4 tbsp of groundnut oil and half a cup of water in a food processor. Use to marinate racks of ribs or whole bone-in chicken pieces.

Spiced yogurt

Put 250ml of natural yogurt, a large bunch of coriander, 2 chopped garlic cloves, 4 green chillies, a small chunk of ginger, 2 tsp of ground cumin and 1 tsp of ground coriander in a food processor and whizz until smooth. Stir in 1 tsp of ground turmeric and 1 tsp of salt. Use to marinate lamb leg steaks or chicken fillets before grilling.