As a rule of thumb, bank holidays are not my thing. Sadly, cutting the working week short is a pain for me and not usually a reason to celebrate!
That being said, the August bank holiday always seems to go down a lot better! Maybe it’s the weather, or maybe it’s because I get another excuse to cook on the BBQ. Or maybe it’s just my age and a day off from my 4:30am alarm goes down a lot better now than in my younger days.
For these much needed R and R days, the BBQ is my best friend. So on go my Havaianas and outside I go! I haven’t ever found a way to cook good BBQ food for small numbers. So I always invite friends, colleagues, kids and neighbours round to help polish off the feast I have spent all day sweating over.
This kind of cooking is all about sharing, so the family style of presentation is perfect. Nothing fancy going on here and everything can be prepared well in advance. Needless to say, use the best you can afford. When it comes to ingredients, even the olive oil and vinegar make a world of difference to the final dish.
It’s a well known fact that the culinary team and I are a obsessed with cooking everything over open flames. Don’t worry, these recipes are easily adjusted if you are using a pan and an oven
Bank holidays are meant to be relaxing, so don’t rush. Plan the dishes in advance or do what most people I know do and invite a chef around for lunch in the hopes they take over the cooking for you! P.S. In case you were going to call me, I am busy this weekend!
Here are some great recipes to enjoy this bank holiday:
BBQ chicken with maple vinegar, almonds and cranberries
Charred bavette steak with Chimichurri sauce
Herritage tomato and herb salad
Charred bavette steak with Guasacaca sauce
Apple, feta, quinoa and walnut salad
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