Simple Salad

I think weekday BBQs should be simple though; people can get carried away with themes and paraphenalia on the weekend, but midweek all you need is good quality meat or fish (or veg. kebabs) and a fresh salad.

Both gas and charcoal BBQs, even disposable ones, take 20-30 minutes to warm up, which is plenty of time to use a robust marinade, to boil some new potatoes and corn on the cob, and to make a salad.

Stale bread, with a mixture of soft margarine or butter, crushed clove of garlic and chopped fresh parsley plus a few drops of lemon juice and lots of pepper make excellent foil wrapped garlic bread too, if you're not keen on the potatoes.

My favourite marinade for chicken, and I think skinless and boneless chicken thighs are best for midweek, is simply soy sauce; runny honey, fresh garlic and fresh ginger.

For lamb or steak, use some fresh rosemary or thyme with some olive oil (garlic olive oil is good) and continue basting with it whilst cooking.

And so the salad. The idea of the midweek BBQ is not to have to stop at the shops on your way home, so here is my latest improvised BBQ salad. No tomatoes, no basil, no fennel, but perfect, crunchy and fresh.

Simple Salad
Carrots, cut into half moons
Cos, Romaine, Iceberg, infact any lettuce
Apples, skin on,
Cubed Mature cheddar,
Chopped parsley

Dressing
Cider Vinegar, 1 measure
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3 measures,
Pinch caster sugar
Tablespoon chopped parsley
Pepper, sea salt
Dash lemon juice

Final options - anything else you have on hand but in the salad but would be great is some raisins or sultanas, to add to sweetness of the fruit.