The weather has finally sorted itself out in this part of the UK & I can plan a barbecue with some certainty of being able to cook it later on in the day……Now I’m not talking about barbecues on the scale that my American friends do them, I am talking about looking around the kitchen & cooking what is to hand.

I also have another confession, after years of cheating with a gas barbecue & constantly complaining about the lack of taste, but it did cook a butterfly while leg of lamb amazingly! I bought a small charcoal barbecue & a couple of these starter kettles. I must admit they do start the barbecue very easily, but they smoke & it takes a while before it’s ready to cook on. I wanted something with the ease of gas, but the authentic taste of charcoal. Enter the party sized disposable barbecue. Big enough to cook a lot of food on, they light immediately last for a few hours & cost less than the charcoal I would need for my other barbecue. A win win situation.

So, to the food. Who really cares what it’s cooked on, as long as it tastes good? Tonights barbecue is chicken & veg. I want to spend the afternoon in the garden, not in the kitchen cutting salad, so I prepped the chicken & veg as soon as I’d shopped. It’s now a case of doing what I want with the afternoon & then cook when we are hungry.

I’m cooking chicken tonight, so I’m marinating it in olive oil & herbs & spices. Tarragon, ginger, clove, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic & chipotle paste, salt & pepper. I’ve done thighs & drumsticks. The veg & potato wedges have been coated in olive oil, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, & thyme.

I’ll do a simple flatbread as well, equal quantities of self raising flour & plain yogurt, 2 tbsp olive oil & salt….just mix it together, knead it a bit then allow to rest for at least 30 mins. Pull off bits of dough, roll quite thin & cook on the barbecue for a few minutes either side….a golf ball size bit of dough makes an average flat bread, whilst they are cooking, I mix garlic paste, chopped mint & coriander with melted butter & brush this over the breads…..turn & brush the other side, serve & enjoy…

The veg & potatoes are on foil trays, the chicken I’ll put directly on the barbecue. I’m tempted to put some lardons in with the veg, I’ll decide later….I feel so hungry I may start to cook soon😂😂

When the potatoes had softened I popped them onto the veg tray & put the chicken on …..just waiting now for everything to finish off ….then I’ll cook the flatbread😋

• 

Sitting here in the garden, listening to the birds singing, smelling the barbeque & gazing up at this clear blue sky……I don’t really think it gets much better than this…..I’m happy

Oh, wow that was good & tasty. ..,.excuse me whilst I now curl up on the sofa & snooze…

Love M. XXX