It's easy enough to grill meat on the barbecue, but with a few simple additions, you can transform the most basic plate into a showstopper. Whether it's a marinade, a pickle or a herby dressing, these three recipes will have you coming back for seconds.
Coconut grilled chicken thighs with crushed peanuts
Friends always ask for this juicy and flavourful chicken dish when coming over for a barbecue – rolled in roasted, salted peanuts, it's literally finger-licking good.
Makes 8 skewers
Ingredients
8 boneless chicken thighs, skin off
Marinade
½ cup packed coriander
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon each curry powder, ground turmeric and coriander
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 tablespoons condensed milk
2 tablespoons coconut cream
½ teaspoon sea salt
To serve
¾ cup roasted, salted peanuts, finely chopped
lime wedges
Directions
1. Place all the marinade ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Pour over the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover and marinate in the fridge for up to 4 hours. Take out half an hour before cooking.
2. Cook chicken over a medium heat on a preheated, lightly greased barbecue until golden and fully cooked through.
3. Thread each piece of chicken onto 2 wooden skewers then press into the chopped peanuts. Serve with lime wedges.
Korean chilli pork steaks with quick pickles
This deep red, fragrant pepper paste adds a wonderful smokiness to the marinade and it works perfectly on these juicy pork steaks.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
4 pork scotch fillet steaks, about 200 grams each
Marinade
2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Quick pickles, recipe below
Quick pickles
½ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup water
1½ teaspoons caster sugar
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 fennel bulb, very thinly sliced, fronds reserved
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, julienned
Directions
1. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the pork steaks and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 12 hours. Bring back to room temperature before cooking.
2. Lift out of the marinade and cook over a medium heat on a preheated barbecue for 3–4 minutes each side or until just cooked through. If cooked over too high a heat the outside will burn before the meat is cooked in the middle.
3. Transfer to a plate and rest for 5 minutes.
To serve: If serving the pork with the Quick Pickles, scatter them over a serving platter. Slice the steaks against the grain and arrange over the pickles, drizzling them with the meat resting juices. Top with reserved fennel fronds.
Quick pickles
This is my go-to pickle recipe and I use them to accompany just about all my barbecue recipes.
Put all the ingredients except the fennel, chilli and carrot, in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Put the vegetables in a heatproof bowl and pour over the hot liquid, turning to combine.
Leave for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain before using.
Rump steak with herb dressing
Rump is one of my favourite cuts and while it's not tender like fillet, the flavour more than makes up for it. Use whatever is your family's favourite steak.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
800 grams rump steak
olive oil, sea salt and
ground black pepper
Herb dressing
½ cup each parsley and coriander leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ cup olive oil
To serve
parmesan for shaving
2 small lemons, halved
Directions
Herb dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Steak:
1. Rub both sides of the steak with oil, salt and pepper.
2. Cook on a hot preheated barbecue for 3–4 minutes each side or until done to your liking, adding the lemons cut side down for 2 minutes.
3. Transfer to a large plate and brush with 1 tablespoon of the dressing.
4. Rest the steak for a few minutes before carving. Top with spoonfuls of dressing and shaved parmesan and serve with the lemons for squeezing over the top. Pass extra dressing separately.
- Recipes by Clare Aldous
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