Having friends round during summer? Plan to fire up the barbecue? Want to impress? Then Niki Bezzant offers a tasty menu suggestion.
In her latest book, Niki Bezzant provides many ideas and recipes for simple entertaining at home, whether it's drinks and nibbles, special dinners or summer barbecues for a crowd.
In this extract from Eating In, she provides inspiration and a menu for a feast for a crowd, cooked on a barbecue.
"Let's face it," Niki says, "the way most of us entertain family and friends over the summer, and well into the autumn months, is via the barbecue.
"Everyone has their own favourite barbecue recipes, and I'd never suggest there's anything wrong with a tasty sausage and some bread.
"But sometimes you might want something a bit different, so here are some of my favourites, the ones I tend to go back to time and again for casual entertaining.
"All of these recipes can be expanded so they work for large numbers," Niki says.
Catalan tomato bread
This is one of those things that looks and sounds really humble but tastes amazing.
Everyone I've served it to at home has loved it, and some have even gone on to gain fame among other friends when they have served it themselves.
Of course, it's not my recipe (really, it's hardly even a recipe - the idea comes from Spain where they eat bread like this everywhere, in homes and restaurants alike).
It's a whole heap of fun to make and eat.
And it takes about as much effort as making toast.
Ingredients
1 loaf ciabatta or sourdough bread
12 very ripe tomatoes
2 heads garlic, separated into cloves
extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste
Slice the bread thickly and toast ideally on the barbecue, but a toaster or oven grill works just fine.
Right, that's the cooking done.
Put the tomatoes in a big bowl or on a platter, with the garlic cloves and bread.
Give everyone a knife and demonstrate what to do: cut a clove of garlic in half, rub it over the toasted bread.
Cut a tomato in half, then rub and squish it into the toast until it's covered in pulp.
Add a drizzle of olive oil, some salt and pepper, then devour.
Repeat! Serves six as a starter or part of a larger meal.
Herb-rubbed lamb leg steaks
A good lamb leg steak is wonderful to cook on the barbie.
I tend to use steaks instead of lamb racks - they're just as tasty and cost a lot less.
Don't overcook them. For the most tender results, they should be lovely and pink in the middle.
Ingredients
zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
flaky salt and pepper to taste
12 lamb leg steaks
Mix together the lemon, garlic, herbs, olive oil, and salt and pepper in a large bowl.
Add the steaks and swish them around until coated with the herb mixture (you may have to do this in two batches).
You can do this ahead and keep them in the fridge.
When you're ready to cook the meat, heat the barbecue grill to quite hot, then turn it down a little.
Cook the lamb until medium rare, about five minutes each side.
Set aside to rest for five minutes before serving.
Courgettes, potatoes and melty mozzarella
This tasty dish makes the most of new season's veges, and makes a change from the usual potato salad.
Incidentally, you can also serve it cooled, but it's best when it's hot so that the cheese is all melty. Over to you.
Ingredients
8 large new potatoes, cut into 1cm slices
oil spray
8 courgettes, thinly sliced lengthways
1 mozzarella ball, around 100g, cut into 1cm slices
handful of fresh mint leaves
salt and pepper
Cook the potato slices in boiling water until just tender.
Drain and set aside (do this ahead if you like and store in the fridge).
Preheat the hot plate of the barbecue to a medium heat and spray with oil.
Cook the potato and courgette slices, using a metal spatula to turn them as they become browned and crispy.
Once the potatoes are browned and the courgettes are tender, add the mozzarella slices to the grill, tossing carefully with the spatula until the slices start to warm and melt.
Transfer the cooked veges and melted cheese to a large platter and scatter with torn mint leaves.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serves 6-8
Green salad with zesty dressing
It doesn't take a genius to make a good green salad, but an interesting dressing is always good to have up your sleeve.
Ingredients
4 cups mixed greens
Dressing
½ cucumber, peeled
handful of fresh coriander leaves
1 chilli (or less depending on your taste)
juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup avocado oil
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth.
Taste and add more salt and pepper and oil if necessary.
Toss dressing well with salad leaves.
Dressing can be made ahead and kept for up to two days in the fridge.
Summer Times has four copies of Niki Bezzant's Eating In to give away. To enter the draw for one, email playtime@odt.co.nz with "Eating In" in the subject line, to arrive before January 10.
