Celebrate National BBQ Week 2021 (July 5th-18th)
Celebrate 25 years of alfresco eating and National BBQ Week with Yondu who has shared some great ways with us on how to wow your guests this summer. Even getting the most skeptical child to indulge in a green or two! From what to put on your skewers, how to cook them, and fun ideas for all the family, not forgetting that sweet treat!
If you don’t know what Yondu is, it’s a 100% plant-based product. It includes organic soybean, sea salt, eight vegetable broth, and yeast extract. Non-GMO organic soybeans are triple-fermented over the course of 100 days, then blended with the savoury broth of onions, white radishes, leeks, cabbage, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, ginger and garlic to create Yondu’s unique flavour that enhances the taste of a variety of cuisines.
Here are Yondu’s top tips:
Kebabs – Any vegetable that can be cut into big chunks and skewered is a firm candidate for a kebab. Be creative and combine different colours, textures and flavours in each skewer. There’s just one golden rule: “Sturdies with sturdies and softies with softies”. You don’t want to bite a raw potato next to a totally dehydrated courgette
Mushrooms are vegetable meat - what does have a meaty texture, a meaty colour, and a meaty flavour… but it is not meat? Exactly! Mushrooms are one of the richest sources of umami flavour out there. Rub your portabello mushrooms with Yondu before grilling and turn them into an umami bomb!
Cook at the right temperature - controlling the timing of a barbeque has never been easy. Especially when it comes to having everyone together at the table on time. But at least we can make sure all our vegetables are cooked to perfection and served at the right temperature.
Here you have some tips to get it right:
- Sturdy vegetables such as potatoes or onion – wrap them in aluminium foil and start cooking once you light the BBQ
- Big veggies like entire bell peppers, aubergines or artichokes – cook them on the edges of the grill, not directly over fire for about 30 minutes
- Sturdy vegetable skewers (carrots, turnip, cabbage, etc.) – start charring them on the direct fire and then place them on the edges of the grill and cook until done
- Softie skewers (courgette, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, etc) – cook them over direct fire for a few minutes right before serving
Get the right tools - when it comes to grilling vegetables, there are a couple of gadgets that can help you get the most of them. And if you are frequently barbecuing, you’ll definitely want to consider these:
- BBQ veggie grill pan - this can be a square or circular piece of metal with holes in it. It allows you to cook chopped vegetables or small delicate ones. It is great to stir-fry your veggies on the fire and get all the delicious aromas of the barbecue in them.
- Grill basket – the classic two-sided grill with a handle. It is usually intended to flip the steaks over, but it is actually very useful for vegetables. Forget about aubergine slices sticking to the grid, with this tool grilling veggies will be a breeze.
Sweeten your meal with fruits - barbequed fruits can make an excellent side for a savoury main. No matter if you are barbecuing meat, fish or veggies, fruits will be a great partner. Think of it this way: Most fruits are sweet, tangy and juicy, just like HP sauce or ketchup! Pears, apple, pineapples, strawberries, watermelon, peaches, melon… almost any fruit can be grilled.
Recipe: Yondu marinade for grilled veggies for National BBQ Week
Total time: 10 min
Serves 2
Yondu effect: Replaces soy sauce and/or salt
Recipe benefits: Easy, fat-free and clean flavour profile
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. Yondu
2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or another mild vinegar)
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp dry thyme
1 clove of garlic, finely minced
500g your favorite vegetables to grill
- In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.
- Prepare your vegetables for the grill by washing, peeling and cutting to your desired size.
- Drizzle the marinade over your vegetables and gently toss in a tray. Leave for 5 minutes before grilling.
- Grill your vegetables, reserving the remaining marinade in the tray. Drizzle this over your vegetables when serving.
Notes/tips:
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the marinade to help vegetables get golden brown if you want. You can add a teaspoon of sugar too, but we found veggies are naturally sweet enough and Yondu will enhance their sweetness!
Yondu is available to purchase via its UK website and Amazon, retailing at £6.88 for 275ml. Visit www.yondu.co.uk/recipes/ for cooking inspiration. Follow the brand on Instagram: @yondu.uk and Facebook: @yondu.uk.
*25th National BBQ Week (5th-18th July – extended due to the significant anniversary) https://nationalbbqweek.co.uk/
