Badge

Hi

I am going to be doing some cooking this weekend. I want it to be non meat based this time around.

The funny thing is, I used to cook all the time, maybe from a limited reportoire of 10 or so meals, but I am really bad at thinking up new things, or cobbling meals from nothing. My wife is pretty good in the kitchen so I've got a bit slack these last few years.

The other thing is, I will eat anything, whereas I want to give my wife something nice so I have to give it a bit of thought.

It would also be nice if I could do some of it on the BBQ.

Any ideas for tucker? Simple, tasty.

Badge

PS Lots of words used like tucker so this doesn't get moved to the lounge!

tonyk38

LOL, lets hope it doesn't get moved!

I love food and cooking in general, and have done several vegetarian dinner parties myself even though I'm extremely carnivorous. One of my quick easy favourites is a Melon starter followed by Tagliatelle and a creamy mushroom sauce, accompanied by miscellaneous roast vegetables (peppers, aubergine, onions, garlic and tomatoes) which could easily be barbecued on skewers (though I prob wouldn't try this with the garlic ), or simply brushed with oil and placed on a barbie hot plate. You could try dipping the skewers in a scrummy olive oil, honey, chilli and lime dip if you prefer.

DollyDaydream

Have you been eyeing up Delia again Tony!!!

D D

ProofReader

G'day Badge,

Got loads of ideas for you but here's a sample of some quick, easy, barbequable ones:

Cheesy Potato Slices

Ingredients:
2 or 3 large potatoes, with skin but scrubbed clean
Grated cheese of your choice (eg mild, tasty, mozzarella or blue vein)
Olive oil
Optional: sun dried tomatoes, basil pesto, olive pesto, finely sliced onion rings, etc.

Method:
Parboil the potatoes for about 10 minutes so that they're 'just' cooked but still firm.
Allow potatoes to cool, then slice into ½ to 1 cm thick slices.
Brush both sides of potato slices with a little olive oil.
Optional: spread on a little pesto or place some sun dried tomatoes or onion rings on potato slices.
Top with grated cheese.
Barbeque on coolest part (edge) of the BBQ plate until bottom browns and cheese melts.

Barbied Garlic Bread

Ingredients:
1 thickly sliced vienna loaf
Garlic, crushed
Olive oil

Method:
Brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil and crushed garlic.
Barbeque both sides until golden brown.

Note: This can be done with various types of pesto instead of, or as well as, the garlic, if you prefer.

Mushrooms are great for a veggie BBQ:

From BBQ Mushrooms

• Marinate button mushrooms in spicy satay sauce. Thread onto bamboo skewers and barbeque until just tender.

• Combine sliced cup mushrooms in a salad with baby spinach leaves, toasted pine nuts with crispy bacon. Toss with lemon dressing.

• Combine roughly chopped flat mushrooms with kepac manis, peanut oil, sliced lemon grass and coriander leaves. Toss onto a hot barbeque plate and cook until tender.

• Marinate button mushrooms in olive oil with balsamic vinegar and chopped fresh herbs. Serve on a starters platter.

• Brush large flat mushrooms with olive oil then spoon a little pesto into each. Cook filled side up on a hot barbeque plate until warmed through. Top with grated parmesan cheese and serve.

Oh, and for the carnivorous folks:

• Drizzle sliced flat mushrooms with olive oil and Worcestershire sauce. Barbecue and pile onto a STEAK SANDWICH.

There's loads more here too!

Enjoy all of the above with a glass of good Aussie red wine!

Vegemite Kids

Badge,
here are a few of my favourite non-meat bbq recipes



Veggie Kebabs

grind some lemon grass, coriander roots and a chopped red chilli into a fine paste.

Place some small button mushrooms, diced red pepper, shallots and par-boiled new potatoes in a large bowl. Add in the lemon grass paste and mix well.

Mix in some soy sauce, oyster sauce, turmeric and cumin (about a 4:2:1:1 ratio). Season with freshly ground pepper.

Set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour.

Thread the vegetables alternately onto bamboo skewers (remember to soak) and brush the vegetables with oil. Normally just use vegetable oil but you could use olive oil as well.

Cook the vegetable kebabs on a hot barbecue until tender, browning on all sides







Barbequed tomatoes

Cut 4 ripe tomatoes in half crosswise, then remove and discard seeds.

Mix together ½ cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, parsley, oregano) ¼ cup parmesan, ¼ cup couscous, 3 cloves of crushed garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. (if you want a spicy version add 1 teaspoon of pepper sauce at this stage).

Fill the tomatoes with the herb mixture and barbeque (medium heat) for about 7-8 mins until cheese starts to melt and tomato shells are tender.



Spicy Potato Cakes

You can do this with either ordinary potatoes or use sweet potatoes. Personally I like to use a 50:50 mix of both types

Mix together 1kg mashed potato, 2 tablespoons melted butter, 1 tablespoon chilli powder, 1 tablespoon honey. 2 cloves of crushed garlic and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

Shape into patties and bbq on medium heat until golden brown.




Sesame snow pea salad

Whisk together ¼ cup Rice wine vinegar, 1-2 teaspoons Sesame oil, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 clove of minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of grated ginger until blended

Place 500g of snow peas in a foil pocket and pour the rice wine vinegar mix over the peas and seal pocket.

Grill/bbq over medium heat for about 7 mins

Now you have 2 choices - 1. you can either sprinkle some toasted sesame seeds over the snow peas and serve hot or 2 you can allow the peas to cool and mix with baby salad leaves and then sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.



Enjoy your bbq. have a red wine from me

ProofReader

If that's "remember to soak ... yourself in red wine", I'll drink to that!

Some nice recipes there VK. Between us 'sheilas', we'll get Badge sorted out!

tonyk38

LOL, did she have a recipe like this?! Just goes to show.....great minds think alike!

ProofReader

Sorry Tony, didn't mean to call you a sheila!

tonyk38

S'alright! I live near Chavsville, er I mean Ashford, Kent and have been called waaaay worse!

Vegemite Kids

Absolutely ! its the only way

Badge

In the end a mate who was babysitting came around, with 3 kids, my wife was sent to the Living room with them and a DVD and we rustled up some scoff on the barby - veggies grilled there are great.

Cheers all

badge

ProofReader

Awww, you mean after all that, you're not gunna tell what was on the me-n-u in the end?

*sighs* Oh well, back to the bottle ...

Badge

I grilled some eggplant, pumpkin, peppers, sweet potato and my offsider brought in a chook from home. I rigged up one of those 500w halogen lights and cooked them on the barby and we had a good meal.

Badge

ProofReader

Good onya Badge, glad you didn't strain yerself working it all out!

Sounds nice though; hope you had a good few with it!