Summer Recipes: Barbecued Vegetables Are Delicious, And These Dishes Prove It

If you feel like your system is needing a bit of a cleanse after the excesses of the season, but don’t want to give up the outdoorsy festive vibes, simply make vegetables the star of the show.

Barbecued mushrooms and flatbread

Cook the flatbreads just before serving for the best results. The dough can be made well ahead of time, just refrigerate and remove 30 minutes before cooking. This dish is versatile — try adding your favourite seasonal fillings to change it up.

Serves 4

Marinade

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp smoked paprika

2 Tbsp tomato sauce

2 tsp soy sauce

6 field mushrooms, cut into 2cm slices

¼ cup water

Flatbread

1 tsp dried yeast

1 tsp sugar

1 cup hot water

1½ cups plain flour

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cups baby cos leaves

1 cup corn

1 avocado, chopped

½ lemon, squeezed

1. For the marinade: Place the garlic, paprika, tomato sauce, soy and chilli flakes in a bowl and combine well. Remove half into a cup and add ¼ cup water to make the sauce.

2. Add the sliced mushrooms to the remaining marinade, tossing gently to cover.

3. To make the flatbread, mix the yeast and sugar, then sprinkle over the hot water. Leave for 10 minutes until frothy. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil to the frothy yeast and pour into the flour, mixing well. Knead on a lightly floured bench for 5 minutes. Place in a clean bowl, cover and put in a warm area for 50 minutes to rise.

4. Cook the mushrooms on a barbecue hotplate for 3-4 minutes on each side. Set aside.

5. To cook the flatbread, divide the dough into 8 balls and roll to 5mm thick. Plate one or two on to a clean hot barbecue plate and cook for 3 or 4 minutes until bubbled, then flip and cook for a further 3 minutes. Stack while you cook the remainder.

6. To serve, place the lettuce in a bowl. Combine the corn, avocado and lemon. Place a bit of each on a flatbread with mushrooms. Wrap and enjoy.

Sweetcorn ‘ribs’

Use a sharp knife and be careful when cutting your cob into ribs. They are well worth the elbow grease and cook so quickly.

Serves 4

2 cobs corn, peeled

Chipotle sauce

2 Tbsp chipotle peppers in sauce

¼ cup mayo

¼ cup yoghurt

1 Tbsp lime zest

Coriander leaves, to garnish

1. Cut corn cobs in half. Then each half down the middle, then each half into four, leaving a bit of core on each.

2. To make the sauce, combine the peppers, mayo, yoghurt and lime zest in a bowl.

3. Heat a barbecue or grill pan to a medium heat. Cook the ribs in batches, turning 2 or 3 times during cooking until nicely charred. They take around 5-6 minutes. While hot, brush with a little of the sauce.

4. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side and a sprinkle of coriander.

Barbecued aubergine salad

A super tasty, super filling barbecued salad that ticks all the right boxes.

Serves 4

50ml olive oil

1 large aubergine, cut into 3cm cubes

1 small onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 red chilli, chopped finely

2 red peppers, seeds removed, cut into 3cm cubes

1 green pepper, seeds removed, cut into 3cm cubes

1 courgette

200g beans

2 large tomatoes, quartered

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

½ pomegranate, seeds removed

Dressing

½ cup Greek yoghurt

½ cup chopped basil

1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. First make the dressing by combining all the ingredients, and refrigerate until needed.

2. Preheat barbecue to a medium heat. Pour 25ml oil on to the hot plate. Add the aubergine and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Remove and set aside.

3. Add the remaining oil then the onion, garlic, chilli, peppers, courgettes, beans, and tomatoes. Toss every 2 minutes and cook until slightly charred and golden and just cooked through. Add the aubergine back for the last 2 minutes to combine.

4. Serve on a platter. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and drizzle over the dressing.

All recipes by Angela Casley.