I’m a sucker for a BBQ and even more so in Winter and Autumn when you can curl up under blankets and sit out under the stars and eat al fresco keeping warm with comfort food. Take a look below at our top dishes for a winter BBQ and quirky English take on a classic hot toddy.
Bacon-Wrapped Carrot Tops
These have to be one of the best and my personal favourite winter BBQ recipe for a side dish. They go with just about anything and everything, and are even great to nibble on their own!
INGREDIENTS:
- 1kg carrots, well-scrubbed or peeled
- Two large packs of smoked or unsmoked back bacon
- 60ml of maple syrup or Honey
DIRECTIONS:
Wrap your carrots in the bacon.
Pop on a wire rack or baking sheet and roast in a preheated oven at 200 degrees until bacon is crispy and the carrots are tender. about 20-30 minutes, glaze with the maple syrup halfway through. OR Roast the bacon-wrapped carrots in a skillet over medium heat on a BBQ until bacon is crispy and carrots are tender. Again for about 20-30 minutes, glazing with the maple syrup halfway through.
Stuffed Butternut Squash
Butternut is a big Winter staple in our house. It’s homely, really creamy, and smells so good. What’s more, is when you stuff it with equally yummy winter ingredients and grill over the BBQ its divine.
INGREDIENTS
- Two whole butternut squash
- Two tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- pinch of salt
- Two more tablespoons unsalted butter not melted
- 200g Basmati Rice
- 400 MLS of chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 200g of cheddar cheese, grated
- One can black beans, drained and rinsed of
- One large pot of your favourite salsa
- One large can of sweetcorn
- One small bunch freshly chopped coriander
- One teaspoon cumin
- One teaspoon chilli powder
- One teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper to taste
- Sour Cream or Creme Freche
DIRECTIONS
To make these butternut squash bowls, preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Clean the squash, then cut each in half down the middle. Then melt one tablespoon unsalted butter and brush a little on each squash. Dust with salt and roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until very soft when pierced with a fork.
When squash is nice and soft, remove from the oven and cool. Scoop out the insides, leaving a nice border all the way around.
While the squash is roasting, prepare your rice. Melt two tablespoons unsalted butter in a large pan and add the Basmati rice. Cook the rice until lightly toasted then add your broth. I like to use chicken broth, but vegetable stock also works well. Bring to the boil, then cover, and reduce heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and cover for 15 mins.
Fluff rice with a fork and add cheddar cheese, black beans, salsa, sweetcorn, coriander, one teaspoon cumin, one teaspoon chilli powder, and one teaspoon of the garlic powder. Mix all of that together, give it a taste and season to taste. Put to one side unitl your ready to stuff.
Spoon your rice mixture into the squash and fill. Divide evenly. Depending on the size of your squash halves, you may have some rice mix leftover. Which is great for lunch the next day.
Top each squash with more grated cheese and bake in the oven until the cheese has melted and everything is bubbling away.
Remove from your oven and serve with sour cream and guacamole.
BBQ Chicken Stuffed Bread
Bread and cheese, food of the gods, add in some chicken, and I’m all set. This recipe is an ingenious way of whipping up an entire meal within a loaf of bread.
INGREDIENTS
- 100g of Roast Chicken per person or use a ready cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket
- One bag of ready grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/4 of red onion, chopped
- One small bunch of Coriander
- Jar of barbecue sauce
- One large tiger bread loaf
DIRECTIONS
- Into a large mixing bowl, add chicken, mozzarella, onion, coriander, and bbq sauce. Then stir well to combine. Add a bit more bbq sauce if your mix seems too dry.
- Cut the top edge of your bread loaf off and hollow out a good 1 1/2 inches to create a well for your filling. Spoon the mix into the loaf. Top with remaining mozzarella and drizzle with remaining BBQ sauce.
- Pop onto a baking tray and bake at 190 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbling away.
Tea & Cider Toddy
INGREDIENTS
- Three large bottles of apple cider (Kopparberg works well)
- Six English breakfast tea bags
- One sliced lemon
- one large shot of whiskey
DIRECTIONS
- Bring your cider to a boil in a large saucepan.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins
- Remove from the heat and add six tea bags and one sliced lemon; steep for 4/5 minutes. Discard tea bags.
- Stir in a large whiskey shot and serve warm.