There’s nothing that says Australian summer more than a barbecue on a warm evening. This week, food writer Libby Kimber brings you two recipes that will take your barbie to the next level.
Recipes from Barbecue This! by Luke Hines, Published by Plum, RRP $39.99, Photography by Mark Roper.
Baharat backstraps
Serves 4
- 4 x 200g lamb backstraps, trimmed and pounded to flatten slightly
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Baharat spice mix
- 3 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Cucumber salsa
- 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive or avocado oil
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 2 cucumbers, finely sliced
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped dill fronds
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
For the baharat spice mix, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl.
Place the lamb, spice mix and oil in a large bowl. Season well with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Set aside at room temperature for 10 minutes for the flavours to develop.
Preheat the barbecue grill to hot and brush it with a little olive oil.
Cook the lamb with the lid closed for 3–4 minutes on each side for medium–rare or until cooked to your liking. It should be golden brown and charred on the outside and soft pink in the middle. Transfer to a wooden board, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
For the cucumber salsa, place the oil, lemon zest and juice, mustard, salt, garlic powder, pepper and chilli flakes in a large bowl and whisk well to combine. Add the cucumber and fresh herbs and toss to coat. Season with extra salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the lamb into thick slices, divide among plates and serve with the cucumber salsa.
Crispy skin salmon with buttery pea smash
Serves 4
- 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 4 x 170g salmon fillets, deboned and skin on
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
Herb salad
- 2 shallots, finely sliced
- 1 tsp coconut sugar
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup loosely packed mint leaves
- 1 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
Buttery pea smash
- 40g unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 500g frozen baby peas
- 80ml (1/3 cup) chicken broth or water
- 3 Tbsp coconut cream
For the herb salad, place the shallot, coconut sugar and lemon zest and juice in a small bowl and mix well. Season to taste and leave to soften for 10–15 minutes.
Meanwhile, for the buttery pea smash, warm the butter in a saucepan over medium heat (use your side burner if your barbecue has one), add the garlic and fry gently until softened, about 1–2 minutes. Add the peas and broth or water, bring to the boil and cook until the peas are just tender, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the coconut cream and puree with a hand-held blender until lovely and smooth. Cover with foil to keep warm and set aside.
Preheat the barbecue flat plate to medium–hot and grease with the olive oil.
Place the salmon on the flat plate, skin-side down, and cook for 3–4 minutes or until the skin is crispy and the flesh has begun to cook through. Using tongs, carefully turn the salmon over and continue to cook for about 1 minute for medium salmon or longer until it is cooked to your liking. Transfer to a plate and rest for a few minutes.
Add the herbs to the softened shallot mixture, toss well and season to taste again.
To serve, spoon the buttery pea smash onto plates. Arrange the salmon on top and the herb salad on the side. Drizzle with a little more olive oil, season with salt and pepper and serve with the lemon wedges on the side.
