We’re serving up two summer sizzlers from Tom Kerridge’s Outdoor Cooking, published by Bloomsbury with photographs © Cristian Barnett
Ultimate hot dog (serves four)
These hot dogs are based on everyone’s favourite Christmas side: pigs in blankets. Like Christmas trees, hot dogs are thought to originate in Germany, so I’ve added a bit of curry powder, German mustard and Bavarian cheese as a nod to that. Great to cook outside on a cold day!
Ingredients:
Barbecue burnt onions
• 2 large onions, finely sliced
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
Pigs in blankets
• 4 jumbo sausages
• 2 heaped tsp mild curry powder
• 12 rashers of streaky bacon
German mustard mayo
• 100g thick mayonnaise
• 40g German mustard
• 3 tsp finely chopped shallot
• 10 cornichons, finely sliced
• 2 tbsp finely chopped dill
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
To assemble
• 4 long hot dog rolls
• 8 thick slices of smoked Bavarian cheese
• 8 large slices of dill pickle
• A bunch of spring onions, green part only, finely sliced
Method:
1. To cook the onions, place a cast-iron pan on the hot barbecue and add the oil. When it is hot, add the onions with a generous pinch of salt. Stir well and cook for about 20 minutes until softened, dark and caramelised.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sausages. Poke a metal skewer through the length of each sausage and lay the skewers on a tray. Season with the curry powder, trying to get an even coating all over the sausages. Wrap each one in bacon, using 3 rashers per sausage, and secure the bacon with a couple of cocktail sticks.
3. Lay the bacon-wrapped sausages on the hot barbecue and cook for about 10 minutes, turning every minute or two. While they are on the barbecue, mix the German mustard mayo ingredients together in a bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste; set aside until needed.
4. Once the sausage are cooked through, lift them off the barbecue and place on a tray. Remove the cocktail sticks and metal skewers.
5. To build the hot dogs, slit the rolls open through the top and lay the cheese slices in them. Add the baconwrapped sausages and top with plenty of caramelised onions and the pickle slices.
6. Place the hot dogs on a sturdy baking tray on the barbecue, put the lid on and leave for a minute or two so that the cheese becomes all gooey and melted. Transfer the hot dogs to plate and spoon on the German mayo. Scatter over the spring onions for freshness and serve.
Tandoori fish skewers (makes eight)
Salmon has a high fat content so it stays lovely and moist when cooked over direct heat. It can also be eaten a bit pink in the middle, so you don’t need to worry about undercooking it either. Quick pickled red onions cut through the rich flavours, as well as adding amazing colour.
Ingredients:
• 8 skinless salmon fillets (about 125g)
• 2 large garlic cloves, grated
• 2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
Juice of 1 lime
• 200g Greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground tumeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• A little vegetable oil to brush
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pickled red onions
• 2 small red onions
• 125ml water
• 125ml white wine vinegar
• ½ tsp fennel seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
To serve
• Naan bread or roti
• A handful of coriander leaves
• 1 long green chilli, finely sliced
• Lime halves
• Sweet chilli sauce
Method:
1. Prepare your pickled red onions an hour or so ahead. Slice the onions and place in a clean jar or bowl. Put the water, wine vinegar, fennel and cumin seeds, salt and sugar into a small pan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved. Pour the hot pickling liquor over the onions and leave to cool slightly. Pop the lid on (or cover the bowl) and place in the fridge to pickle.
2. To prepare the salmon, cut each fillet into four equal-sized chunks. Place these in a bowl with the garlic, ginger and lime juice and mix well.
3. In another bowl, mix the yoghurt with the spices and some salt and pepper. Add this spiced yoghurt to the salmon and mix well again. Leave to marinate in a cool place for at least 20 minutes, or up to an hour. Meanwhile, if using wooden skewers soak eight of them in water to avoid scorching on the barbecue.
4. Once marinated, thread the salmon onto your skewers, putting four chunks onto each skewer.
5. Brush the hot barbecue grid lightly with a little oil then lay the skewers on it. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and lightly charred. Meanwhile, warm the naan or roti on the edge of the barbecue. Once cooked, transfer the skewers to a warm plate.
6. Serve the skewers on the warm naan or roti. Scatter over a little pickled red onion, some coriander and sliced green chilli. Serve with lime halves for squeezing over, and sweet chilli sauce on the side.