BBQ recipes: Four of the best from London chefs, with wine pairings to match

Don’t sound the alarm, foil up the windows or curse Kevin McCloud for daring to inspire an all-glass extension just yet, but — have you noticed? — the sun is back. The death rays are at present on hold but we’re in for a fortnight of mid-20s sunshine, although mugginess is also sadly very much par for the course. Your friend with the garden? Phone them. It’s time to head over with cans, a cool box and plans to cook on coal. Here, four London chefs share their favourite recipes for the grill, and ones that are easy and versatile to boot. We’ve even wine pairings to match. Come on barbie, let’s go party.

Veal chop, with courgettes a lemon vinaigrette

Jun Tanaka, The Ninth, @theninthlondon

“The key to this recipe is the marinade, which is very versatile and will work with pork and lamb chops as well. Whatever you’re cooking, make sure you marinade the meat for at least 24 hours, as the yoghurt will tenderise the meat and the give it a fantastic flavour. You can also swap out the herbs for different spices: try adding cumin, coriander and turmeric for Middle Eastern flavours.”

Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the veal

• 4 veal chops

• 2 green courgettes, sliced (½ cm thickness)

• 1 yellow courgette sliced (½ cm thickness)

• 12 cherry tomatoes (prep these: cut in half, season and add a drizzle of olive oil. Place on a baking tray cut side up and leave in the oven at 100C for three hours)

For the marinade

• 250g Greek yoghurt

• 10g chopped rosemary and thyme

• 5g salt

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 80g honey

For the lemon vinaigrette

• 1 clove garlic, crushed

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 50ml lemon oil

• 25ml white balsamic vinegar

Method

1. Start with the marinade. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and simply cover the veal chop in it and leave in the fridge for 24 hours.

2. On the day you’re dining, once the barbecue is light, make the lemon vinaigrette by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl.

3. Ready to eat? Take the veal out, scrape off the excess marinade and season, then lightly brush with olive oil.

4. Place on the barbecue and cook for five minutes, before flipping it and repeating. If it starts to caramelize too much, move to the side to finish cooking. Afterwards, leave it to rest for a further five minutes.

5. Now lightly oil the courgettes and place on the barbecue. Cook for two minutes on one side and place in a bowl. Add the lemon vinaigrette.

6. To serve, slice the veal, add a touch more salt and serve with the semi-dried cherry tomatoes and courgettes.

Roast corno peppers, Cantabrian anchovy, salsa verde

Andrew Clarke and Daniel Watkins, Acme Fire Cult, @acmefirecult

“The peppers are kind of like a punch in the face and a cuddle. So you’ve got the super sweet smokey peppers; grassy, fruity olive oil and then you’ve got these anchovies – if you’re going out there and getting the very best anchovies you can get, they’re packed with umami and super salty. And then with the depth of the merlot vinegar, all these things come together well in a mouthful. If you’re wanting to make it vegan, by the way, just swap the anchovies for capers. Obviously, the salsa verde is just to freshen the whole thing up. Oh, and whatever you do, make sure you get the coals nice and hot.”

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 12 anchovies (or a good handful of capers if you’re vegan)

• 16 large corno peppers

• Olive oil, to taste

• Merlot vinegar, to taste

• Salt, to taste

For the salsa verde

• 50g flat leaf parsley

• 50g chervil

• 50g tarragon

• 50g coriander

• 50g liliput capers

• Half a lemon, juiced

• 1 garlic clove

• 150 ml olive oil

Method

1. Start with the peppers, putting them straight onto the coals, turning so all sides start blackening, then place into a bowl, with a cloth or cling film stretched over the top. This will allow the steam to help lift the skin off the peppers.

2. When the peppers have cooled down a little, gently peel the skins off, place the peppers into a mixing bowl, add little splashes of olive oil and merlot vinegar. Season, adding as much or as little to your taste.

3. In the meantime, do the salsa verde. In a blender, add all the herbs, the garlic, a good splash of olive oil, a pinch of salt, then blend once you have the consistency you want. Add more lemon juice, olive oil and salt to taste. Salsa verde can be very interchangeable in terms of what herbs you use, so feel free to experiment with what’s available.

4. If you want to lower your waste, we like to use the stalks from the herbs instead of the liliput capers. Lightly salt them and pickle by covering in vinegar and leaving in the fridge overnight.

5. To serve, arrange the peppers across two plates, and dress with some oil and merlot vinegar mix from the bowl. Add a generous amount of anchovies on top, and finish with spoonfuls of salsa verde.

Jagung bakar pedas manis (Indonesian sweet and spicy grilled corn)

Rahel Stephanie, Spoons, @eatwithsp00ns

“This is a simple and no-frills recipe that will bring a spicy kick to a classic grilled corn. Being a street-side Indonesian classic, I grew up eating this; it brings me back to a lot of memories of growing up in Indonesia, and I hope this brings a piece my home to yours. Feel free to adjust the chilli sauce according to your preference and spice tolerance — personally, I prefer lots. The dish works great as an appetiser, an accompaniment to a larger barbecue spread or as a snack on its own.”

Ingredients

• 6 whole sweet corns, peeled

• 50g butter (or margarine), melted

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 5 tbsp chilli sauce of choice (ie Sriracha)

• 3 tbsp ketchup

• 1 tbsp granulated sugar or agave syrup

Method

1. In a bowl, mix together the butter, crushed garlic, chilli sauce, ketchup and sugar syrup.

2. On a preheated barbecue, grill the corns for about 10 minutes, regularly brushing with the sauce and turning occasionally, until tender and slightly charred.

3. Serve piled on a plate, brushed with more sauce if desired.

Grilled peach with stracciatella

David Carter, Smokestak, @smokestakuk

“Peaches are at their absolute prime in the height of summer. The aroma of smoke from a grill works especially well with their natural sweetness, and balances it out. Fresh thyme and honey work especially well with grilled peaches, too, so whisk some in with a bit of honey and make sure to brush the peaches as you grill them, so they caramelise nicely. After grilling, when you rest the peaches on a baking tray, they will create a bit of liquor. This is gold. Use it by whisking in a bit sherry to make a lovely vinaigrette. If you want this as a savoury dish, be careful not to overcook them, to maintain a bit of texture. But cooked more, this becomes a sweet dessert.”

Serves: 1 (multiple as required)

Ingredients

• 1 peach

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to finish

• ½ tbsp runny honey

• 1 sprig marjoram, or thyme

• Salt

• 100g Stracciatella (or burrata)

• Lime zest, to serve

Method

1. Stone the peach, then cut it into eight even wedges. Put the fruit in a bowl with the oil, honey, marjoram and a pinch of sea salt, and leave to macerate for an hour – once seasoned, the peach wedges will release their juices, and you’ll use those for the dressing later.

2. Lift the peach wedges out of the bowl and barbecue over roasting hot coals for three to four minutes on each side, just until they take on some colour, then return them to the bowl and toss gently in the liquor. Cook for longer if using this as a dessert.

3. To serve, plate the peaches, tear the cheese over the top of the fruit, then drizzle with good olive oil and sea salt. Pour over the liquor from the bowl, top with a pinch of lime zest.

Drink in our wine pairings

Hannah Crosbie, The Dalston Wine Club, @hannahcrosb

For the… Veal chop

When I’m pairing a barbecued meat with a herbaceous dressing, my mind instantly goes to the red wines of northern Italy. Not only do the high-tannin wines of Barolo and Barbaresco hold their own against a hearty meal, they also often boast a delightful top note of fresh and dried herbs. Just the thing for an aromatic, herby marinade.

• Barolo Di Serralunga,£36, forestwines.com

For the… Corno peppers with anchovies

For the perfect balance of sweet roasted peppers and salty anchovies, I’d opt for a Spanish white. Saline, precise wines such as Albariño or Godello have a mineral edge that will complement the anchovies and elevate the smoky flavours of the charred peppers.

• Godello, Pagos del Galir, £15, peckhamcellars.co.uk

For the... Jagung bakar pedas manis

Skin contact wines are beyond social media hype. They’re brilliant for tricky-to-pair, spicy foods and powerful orange wines can weather the effects of spice brilliantly. Try a skin-contact Riesling or Grüner Veltliner from Alsace to offset the heat and provide balance.

• Martin & Anna Arndorfer, Naturtrub, £15, shop.lescaves.co.uk

For the… grilled peaches

Dessert wines aren’t usually a “thing” at barbecues. They should be. The caramelised sugars from the grilled peaches call for a wine with a succulent sweetness and Moscato d’Asti would be my suggestion if you’re after something sparkling, but for something a bit left field, drizzle a shot (or two) of bourbon over your stracciatella for a truly indulgent dessert.

• Moscato d’Asti, £17.99, selfridges.com