Barbecued butterfly chicken

This has to be the easiest way to cook a chicken.

Don’t be daunted by the “butterfly” part; your butcher will do it for you if you ask nicely. Alternatively, just use some poultry shears or strong kitchen scissors, cut the chicken through the breast and press down hard to flatten it.
 

You will need (for 4 people):

1 chicken (free range if possible)
8 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp mustard (Dijon works best here, but you can always use a different type)
1 tsp oregano (dried is fine)
1 tbsp honey
A small bunch of parsley

Method:

Butterfly the chicken (see above).

Chop the garlic, them mix with all the ingredients except the parsley.

Put the chicken in a wide, deep dish and rub the marinade onto both sides.

Cover with cling film and chill for 24hrs.

The following day, light your barbecue. When ready to cook, put the chicken on and leave to cook for about 45 min to an hour, turning regularly.

Sprinkle the chopped parsley on top, then carve and serve.

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Proper cheeseburgers

Summer is finally here! Time to dust off the barbecue and garden furniture, put some drinks in the fridge and make some ice cubes.

The thing with the British summer though, is that it takes you by surprise. One minute it is pouring down with rain and rather chilly, and the next it is sundress weather. Which is why you need to perfect the art of the “emergency barbecue”. As in, it is 11:00 am, the sun is unexpectedly shining, quick, let’s run to the butcher’s and buy something we can barbecue.

When you are short on prep time, one of the easiest ways to enjoy a barbecue is to make homemade cheeseburgers.

Personally, I prefer a rather simple cheeseburger: a toasted bun, a nice burger, tasty cheese, and maybe a bit of ketchup. That’s it.

I know most people will add tomatoes, lettuce, gherkins, etc. , which is fine, each to their own! The main thing here is good quality beef, the trimmings almost don’t matter.

You will need (for 4 burgers):

500 g beef mince
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 a red onion
1 tbsp chopped parsley
Salt
Pepper
4 good quality bread buns
Thin slices of your choice of cheese (I like Emmental or Maasdam)
Ketchup

Method:

Heat up the olive oil in a small frying pan. Chop the onion finely, and cook gently in the oil until soft. Drain on kitchen paper.

In a large bowl, place the mince, onions, parsley and seasoning.

Mix thoroughly with your hands, then divide into 4 equal portions. Form each portion into a ball, and pat it gently to flatten it between your palms until it is roughly 2 cm thick.

Put the patties on a plate, cover with cling film then reserve in the fridge while you light the barbecue.

When your barbecue is ready, cook the burgers for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare (this will vary depending on your barbecue and the thickness of the patties).

Just before the burgers are ready, lay the cheese on top of them and toast the buns.

Assemble the burgers, and top with a bit of ketchup. I like to have a few grilled mushrooms alongside too.

Enjoy!