Fabulous OS BBQ

attentionseeker1

I am hosting a big BBQ for friends and family towards the end of the month and a few more people are coming than I originally thought...

It's going to be just before OH and I get paid so I'm trying to think ahead now on how to fund it so we don't end up stuck at the end of the month.

What I am after is a couple of recipes that are a bit special but not too expensive. I know people will bring the basics like burgers/sausages but I'd like to provide something a bit more exciting, as well as a bit more nutritious!

I expect we would need to cater for about 20 so things like chicken kebabs are probably out as I couldn't afford to buy that much higher welfare chicken!

Anyone out there done an interesting BBQ on a budget before?

laurel7172

Pasta and potato salads. Different kinds makes your catering look more generous (and because your time matters, it is). Cous cous. A nice big dish of hot potato gratin always goes down well.

Also smores. Digestive/Nice biscuits, chocolate and marshmallow...mmmmmm

lickylonglips

what about a bean salad?

some dried or tinned value kidney beans, some chick peas, some borlotti beans or whatever you fancy. all cooked as per instructions, or, if tinned, drained and rinsed. add some chopped raw onion - red or white, some garlic, some olive oil, some chopped deseeded tomatoes and deseeded cucumber, a little chilli (powder or fresh), some herbs (fresh or dried)..... would also be nice with some tinned tuna and/or chopped boiled eggs mixed in...

Spendless

Didn't bbq it as weather not up to it, but we entertained few weeks ago and got a stack of chicken wings then hubby created his own marinade, we had loads of bottles of different types of bbq sauce (the table dipping bottles I mean) and he just bunged all the odd ends together put the wings in and kept them. It cost £5 for the wings tho we do live in a large amrket town with plenty of butcher's stalls.

gizmo111

Bif bowl of chilli - use quorn if you have a lot of veggies coming.
Some garlic bread and a big bowl of white rice.

attentionseeker1

Ok bean salad and chicken wings def on the list as mostly use stock cupboard stuff we have already. Does anyone do any nice pasta salad recipes? The only thing I ever make is tuna and sweetcorn which gets a bit boring after a while!

Seakay

Make a vinaigrette dressing (one vinegar or lemon juice to 3 olive or groundnut oil, little French mustard, salt pepper) and whisk it up.
Dump your hot drained pasta into it and stir it around. Add a handful of raisins at the same time.
When cold add loads of coarsely chopped fresh herbs - whatever you have or like, parsley, thyme, basil, marjoram, fennel, dill etc
Also add a handful of salted peanuts (honestly)
If you only have dried herbs then add a generous amount to the vinaigrette before you add the pasta.

WelshWoofer

Is there a type of fish that's cheap but BBQs well?
I'm a veggie so no idea but just a thought?

meritaten

its not just meat that bbqs well! you can do things like bananas (bbq in their skins till the skins well blackened) corn on the cob, fruit kebabs (eg pineapple chunks, grapes, melon, apple you can brush them with a little honey to aid caramelising). fish bbqs nicely too and fish kebabs dont have to be expensive. the supermarket fish counter often have scraps they will sell you and you can kebab them brush them with a little oil or melted butter - delish! just cut a small onion into quarters then cut that in half and separate the layers then sandwich the fish or meat between them.

er - do I get an invite now? love a barbie!!!

greenbee

sardines bbq well

Separating salad ingredients somehow makes them seem more exciting!

How about tabbouleh made with either couscous or bulghar wheat? Lots of mint, parsley, cucumber and spring onion chopped finely to make a green tabbouleh. You can add green pepper too if you like.

Tomato salad with red onion, olives and a bit of feta and some vinaigrette

Potatoes with chives and either mayo or olive oil.

Leaf salad with a few different kinds of lettuce and maybe some baby spinach in it

Coleslaw

I seem to remember doing one that was roasted beetroot and roasted carrots last year - you could do a dish of roasted veggie

Pasta with peppers

The more salads you have, the more impressive it will look - and people won't necessarily want to eat so much meat!

Vegetable kebabs with halloumi cheese for vegetarians on the BBQ

Stephen_Leak

Another vote for Three Bean Salad.

THREE BEAN SALAD

Serves 2 - 3

INGREDIENTS

200g (½ of a 400g tin) of borlotti/rose coco beans
200g (½ of a 400g tin) of cannellini/white kidney beans
200g (½ of a 400g tin) of red kidney beans
½ a tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of olive oil
½ a tablespoon of parsley

METHOD

Open the tins and drain off any liquid, Put the beans into a sieve or colander and rinse them thoroughly under running cold water.

Put the beans into a bowl. Add the lemon juice, olive oil and parsley. Mix thoroughly.

Cover and put in the fridge for at least half an hour.


ADDITIONS & ALTERNATIVES

Use dried beans, but these will need to be soaked and boiled first.

Use other beans, including sliced green beans or broad beans. If you use baked beans, wash the tomato sauce off.

Use black-eyed peas, which are really black-eyed beans, and chickpeas, which are also known as garbanzo beans.

Try to use three different looking beans.

Use fresh lemon juice for preference, but bottled lemon juice will do.
Use extra virgin olive oil for preference, but normal olive oil will do.

Use chopped fresh parsley for preference, but dried parsley will do.

Add a clove of garlic. Peel the garlic and chop it into tiny pieces.

Add 2 spring onions. Wash the spring onions, cut off the root ends and leaves, peel off and discard any dried up or slimy outer leaves, then chop them into thin rings.

TIPS

Parsley is reputed to reduce the wind generating capacity of beans.