Barbecues - Not Just A Meat Feast!

By Author: Fliss Hyett
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Barbecues - not just a meat party

However creative we are when barbecuing, most of what ends up on a grill is basically meat-based - sausages, burgers, steaks, chicken - although the chances are that at least some percentage of the bbq friends will be vegetarian.

So how are you able to look after these folks, with out making them feel like they’re an afterthought?

Sure, they can fill up on the many accompaniments - salads, pasta, bread and so on - but a great host will want to make sure all their visitors really feel they have been considered.

To start with, take into account a person's cooking arrangements.

Although some vegetarians is probably not too irritated, individuals who are vegetarian for spiritual and also moral factors will not wish to eat food that has been cooked on the same grill as the pork sausages, thereforehence it’s far better think ahead.

If you have a large bbq, you can possibly designate a whole grill with regard to veggie choices.

Otherwise, you’ll either must have a supplementary bbq (or perhaps a throw away one) to hand.

You could decide ...
... to cook many of the vegetable choices first, and make certain that your grill has been carefully cleaned before you begin, however unless you’re just providing for a few individuals this will likely turn out to be a bit of a logistical nightmare.

What do you do if a veggie visitor comes late and you’ve run out of appropriate food, and began cooking meat on the actual barbeque grill?

Alright, so you’ve taken care of your vegetarian-only grill, whatever it might be.

Upcoming - what to cook? Sure, you can go for pre-prepared vegetarian sausages as well as burgers.

However do see the cooking instructions first - many are not suitable with regard to barbecuing, and because of their lower fat content tend to burn and stick on the grill.

You may find it easier to place a frying pan on the fire and cook all of them this way - which eliminates your problem about with a meat-tainted barbeque grill!

What ever veggie meals you will be cooking, make sure you brush the grill with oil first to prevent sticking.

Additionally be aware that many vegetarians don’t in fact like the taste associated with meat, so most likely are not too delighted being given a meat replacement.

But let’s get a bit more ambitious with your vegetarian barbecuing options.

A number of our most liked ingredients (which might well be scoffed by the meat-eating guests, therefore ensure you do plenty) are:

Portobello mushrooms - simply brush them with oil and cook on the barbeque grill.

They are often offered in a bun just like a burger, along with cheese and burger relishes.

Corn on the cob - wrap in foil first or it will simply get singed instead of cooked.

We find it best to have these precooked then brushed with butter and finished off on the Gas Barbecue to acquire that lovely great smoky flavour.

Halloumi cheese - this functions so nicely on the barbecue, as it keeps together rather than melting in to an unmanageable mess, and it has a lovely chewy consistency.

Make Halloumi and vegetable kebabs, and drizzle with olive oil prior to barbecuing.

Barbequed vegetables - asparagus, sliced aubergines or perhaps sweet potatoes cook effectively on a Charcoal Barbeque.

Brush with olive oil and barbeque grill for around five minutes.

If you realise they are getting singed without having cooked properly, cover in aluminum foil first, cook and then unwrap them and finish off on the grill for your authentic barbecue flavour.

Aubergine wraps - these barbequed aubergine slices might be rolled around a variety of tasty fillings.

Attempt goat’s cheese as well as herbs, for example.

Put an aubergine slice around a amount of cheese, secure with a cocktail stick and pop onto the grill for a couple of minutes.

Tofu be sure you employ extra-firm tofu in order to avoid this falling apart and make sure you dry it using a clean tea towel or paper towels, which will compress it more and help it to stay together during the cooking process.

Tofu is usually notoriously boring, so marinade it in a flavourful marinade prior to cutting it into cubes and making up a kebab.

Then add. scrumptious vegetables such as small onions, all kinds of peppers and fresh mushrooms.

Quorn can be treated in the same way as tofu.

Again, it benefits from a great powerful marinade such as tandoori or balti (try combining a tandoori paste with olive oil, lemon juice, plain yogurt and herbs).

You can use the identical marinade for the chicken you’re cooking, nevertheless obviously you should maintain the two batches of marinade separate.

Marinades -
look at the marinades you are utilizing on your meat dishes and think about using them on vegetable dishes.

Sweetcorn
for example, will be tasty basted with a sweet honey or even maple sauce dressing, or perhaps a lemon or lime and butter coating that you might be using on some fish.

Once more, just be certain that you keep the dressing you utilize for meat or fish separate from that you use to brush on any vegetarian barbecue dishes.

As a final point, ensure you have sufficient utensils so that you can specify a pair of tongs, spatula, knives and forks as meat-free.

So, there’s nothing too difficult about catering for non-meat eaters at the barbecue.

Just plan in advance allowing you to have a suitable barbeque grill for preparing your veggie meals, think about the elements of side dishes to ensure that everyone can enjoy them - enjoy yourself.