In a dream July scenario, plan A might be to be somewhere in the eastern Med, eating charred food off a grill. Plan B would therefore be to set up an outdoor grill anywhere you find yourself (no coast required). And even plan C is pretty cheering: put a griddle pan on the hob, open the kitchen windows and get grilling. Stripes on the outside, smoky, charred flavours on the inside. Inside and outside, inside or outside: everyone’s happy.
Grilled garam masala prawns with chilli and Thai basil dressing (pictured top)
Prawns work so well on a barbecue: their protective shell makes the perfect nonstick barrier to the heat of the fire. As a bonus, they cook in no time at all. The butter and dressing (bar the basil) can be made up to a day ahead.
Prep 5 min
Marinate 15 min+
Cook 30 min
Serves 2-4
12 extra-large, sustainably sourced tiger prawns (500g), heads and shells on, deveined
Olive oil
Fine sea salt and black pepper
8 spring onions (120g), trimmed and cut in half at an angle (ie, into roughly 8-10cm lengths)
For the marinade
3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 tsp garam masala
60g Greek yoghurt
For the dressing
2 red chillies (20g), finely chopped (discard the pith and seeds if you prefer less heat)
2 limes, zest finely grated, then juiced, to get 45ml
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
15g picked Thai or regular basil
For the masala butter
120g unsalted butter
1½ tsp garam masala
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
First prepare the prawns. Using a small serrated knife, cut a deep slit all along the length of the prawns, cutting all the way to the middle of the flesh, but keeping the heads intact, so the prawns open up like a butterfly.
Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl with a teaspoon of olive oil, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, then add the prawns. Toss to make sure the marinade gets right into the exposed flesh, then leave to marinate for 15 minutes to half an hour.
Turn on the grill to high, or put a griddle pan on a high heat. Meanwhile, put all the ingredients for the dressing except the Thai basil in a bowl, add a half-teaspoon of salt, then stir to combine and set aside.
Coat the spring onions with a half-teaspoon of oil and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, then grill in two batches for two to three minutes on each side, until nicely charred. Transfer to a tray, then grill the prawns for 90 seconds on each side, brushing them with the excess marinade every now and then. Transfer the charred prawns to the spring onion tray.
Next, make the masala butter. Melt the butter in a medium frying pan on a medium heat and, once it’s hot and bubbling, add the garam masala, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and cook, stirring, for just 30 seconds. Quickly stir in the garlic, cook for another 30 seconds, until fragrant, then add the prawns to the pan. Spoon the spiced butter over the prawns and, using the back of the spoon, gently crush the heads to release their juices. Keep on the heat for a minute to warm through, then set aside.
To assemble, arrange the prawns and butter on a large platter. Scatter the spring onions around and about the prawns, then spoon over half of the dressing and serve with the rest in a bowl on the side.
Spicy burnt aubergine flatbreads with tahini
Turkish pepper paste brings a deeply savoury and spicy flavour to these flatbreads. It’s widely available, but can be swapped for tomato paste or harissa, if need be. While there are a few components here, everything can be prepared ahead of time. Make and shape dough the day before, cover and pop in the fridge to prove slowly.
Prep 20 min
Cook 90 min
Serves 4 as part of a feast
For the flatbreads
140g strong bread flour, plus extra for dusting
½ tsp fast-action dried yeast
⅓ tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp olive oil, plus ½ tsp extra
Fine sea salt and black pepper
For the aubergine topping
1 aubergine (300g), pricked all over with a fork
225g vine tomatoes (ie, about 3)
⅛ tsp ground allspice, toasted
½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted
60ml olive oil
1 tbsp Turkish pepper paste (biber salçasi)
¼ tsp caster sugar
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
15g picked flat-leaf parsley
15g picked mint
For the tahini sauce
50ml tahini
1½ tsp lemon juice
For the sumac shallots
1 banana shallot, peeled and sliced into very thin rounds
¼ tsp sumac
1 tbsp lemon juice
Put all the ingredients for the dough apart from the extra oil in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 80ml lukewarm water and a third of a teaspoon of salt, and mix on a medium speed for about six minutes, until it forms a smooth dough (alternatively, knead by hand for about 10 minutes). Shape the dough into a ball, return to the bowl, coat with the extra oil, cover (I use reusable kitchen wrap) and leave in a warm place for an hour, to prove and double in size.
Meanwhile, set a griddle pan over a high heat and ventilate the kitchen. Char the aubergine and tomatoes for 25 minutes, turning occasionally, until blackened all over and cooked through, then set aside. When they’re cool enough to handle, carefully cut the tomatoes into quarters, skin and all. Peel off and discard the aubergine skin, then cut or tear the flesh into large chunks. Put both in a large bowl with a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Put the spices, oil, pepper paste, sugar and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt in a small saucepan on a medium heat, bring up to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for four minutes. Take off the heat, leave to cool for 15 minutes, then stir three tablespoons of this oily mixture and the lemon zest into the aubergine bowl.
Mix all the ingredients for the sumac shallots in a small bowl with an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, and set aside to soften.
In another small bowl, whisk the tahini and lemon juice with 35ml cold water and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt, until smooth, then cover with a plate.
Tip out the dough on to a lightly floured worktop, knead to a smooth ball, then cut into four. Roll each piece into a ball, then cover with a tea towel and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Put the griddle pan back on a medium-high heat. Lightly dust the worktop with flour and, using a rolling pin, roll out each ball of dough into a 12cm circle about 3mm thick. Depending on the size of your griddle, lay one or two round flatbreads in the pan and cook for 45-60 seconds, until bubbles appear and the bread is nicely charred in places. Flip over, cook for another 15-20 seconds on the other side, until it, too, is nicely charred, then brush both sides with some of the reserved oil mixture and put on a large platter. Repeat with the remaining dough and oil.
Divide the aubergine mixture between the flatbreads, scatter over the herbs and shallots, and serve with the tahini sauce drizzled over the top.
Spiced lamb skewers with caper and oregano salsa
These are brilliant make-ahead skewers for a barbecue. The coconut milk tenderises the meat while it marinates, while the fat in the milk gives the cooked skewers a flavoursome sheen. The marinade works equally well with chicken or pork.
Prep 25 min
Marinate 1 hr+
Cook 20 min
Serves 4
300g boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 1cm-thick x 3cm-wide pieces (cut away any sinewy bits)
4 skewers (soaked if wooden)
For the marinade
¾ tsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp chilli flakes
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
10g fresh oregano sprigs, picked
1 tbsp olive oil
180ml full-fat coconut milk
Fine sea salt and black pepper
For the salsa verde
10g picked oregano
20g picked flat-leaf parsley
60ml olive oil
1 lemon, zest finely grated, to get 1 tsp, then juiced, to get 1½ tbsp
25g capers
½ tsp cumin seeds, toasted
⅛ tsp dried oregano
Put all the marinade ingredients in a large food processor, add a half-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper, then blitz until almost smooth. Put the lamb in a large bowl, pour over the marinade , then mix to coat and leave to marinate for an hour (or in the fridge overnight).
Put a griddle pan on a high heat and ventilate the kitchen. Divide the lamb between the skewers (about 75g per skewer) and reserve the marinade. When the pan is smoking hot, grill the skewers for 90 seconds to two minutes on each side, until nicely charred, brushing the meat with the marinade when turning over the skewers. Put on a platter and leave to rest for five minutes.
Meanwhile, put all the salsa ingredients and an eighth of a teaspoon of salt in a large food processor and pulse two or three times, just until roughly chopped.
Spoon the salsa on top of the skewers and serve.
