Fire it up: a cracker barbecue menu for Guy Fawkes night

Barbecue prawns with lime. Photo / Babiche Martens

Regardless of the weather, for many Kiwis Guy Fawkes night tends to unofficially mark the beginning of barbecue season. Here’s a cracker menu to start your grilling game right.

Photo / Babiche Martens

Grilled vegetable bruschetta

Makes 6 large

6 thick slices rustic bread

¼ cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 eggplant, cut lengthways in ½cm slices

1 courgette, sliced

1 red pepper

300g feta

1 cup basil leaves

Lemon wedges, to serve

1. Preheat a barbecue grill.

2. Drizzle the bread with a little oil and toast until golden on the barbecue. Remove from the heat and rub with the garlic cloves. Set aside.

3. Rub the eggplant and courgette with oil and barbecue until cooked through. Chargrill the pepper until blistered on all sides. Cool, then remove the skin and seeds and slice into 2cm strips.

4. To assemble the bruschetta, mash half the feta roughly and spread on to the toast, sprinkle over a few basil leaves, layer the vegetables then finish with the remaining feta, sliced.

5. Just before serving turn an oven grill to high. Place bruschetta under the grill to brown the feta, then serve with a squeeze of lemon.

Recipe / Angela Casley

Photo / Babiche Martens

Barbecue prawns with lime

Makes 8

1 red chilli, chopped finely

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp brown sugar

Salt and pepper

24 large raw prawns, tails on

8 bamboo skewers, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes

Lemon or lime wedges to serve

1. Preheat barbecue to medium heat.

2. In a small bowl combine chilli, soy, ginger, garlic, lemon and brown sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Marinate the prawns for 30 minutes.

3. Thread 3 prawns on each skewer.

4. Cook skewers on the barbecue’s open flame for 3 or 4 minutes each side. Remove and serve hot with a squeeze of lemon or lime.

Recipe / Angela Casley

Photo / Babiche Martens

Barbecued bananas with walnuts & butterscotch sauce

Serves 4

Sauce

40g butter

¾ cup brown sugar

½ cup cream

1 tsp vanilla essence

Barbecued bananas

1 Tbsp butter

4 medium-sized bananas, split lengthways

¼ cup finely chopped walnuts, to serve

Mascarpone or whipped cream, to serve

1. For the sauce, melt the butter in a small pot. Add the brown sugar, cream and vanilla. Slowly bring to a simmer cooking for 5 minutes to thicken.

2. For the barbecued banana, melt the butter on a barbecue hot plate to a medium heat. Fry the bananas for 2 minutes each side until golden and slightly softened.

3. Serve warm with butterscotch sauce, chopped nuts and a good dollop of mascarpone or cream.

Recipe / Angela Casley