Another
great use for the barbecue is chargrilling vegetables. Asparagus works well, as
do sweet potatoes, fennel and chicory. Here though, I've used aubergine, yellow
courgettes and sweetcorn. Now you can barbecue the sweetcorn whole and then
de-kernel it, or just add a tin to a pan on the barbecue while you do the rest
of the veg.
Ingredients:
- 1 large
aubergine, cut into 2cm cubes
- 1 large
yellow courgettes, thinly sliced lengthways
- 1 corn on
the cob, still in its husk, or 1 tin of sweetcorn
- 250ml of
homemade pesto (or from a jar if you don't have the time, but I suggest you
make the time)
- Salt and
black pepper
Method:
Season the
aubergine chunks well and mix them with a load of the pesto (keep some back for
the courgettes and final drizzle) until they are all well coated.
If you are
using whole corn, cook this on the barbecue first, when the coals are white and
glowing. If you are using tinned, either cook them inside on the hob, or find
space for a pan on the barbecue. Next, lay the courgettes on the grill. Season
well, brush the upper side with pesto and leave to cook for a while, until the
undersides are starting to go golden and slightly charred. Turn them over and
brush again with pesto. When they are done, take them off and set aside
somewhere warm. I suggest a large bowl that you will then serve from.
Put the
aubergine on the grill and cook till golden and soft and transfer to the bowl.
You may need to occasionally re-brush the aubergine as they are very thirsty
little things.
Mix
everything together well, add the rest of the pesto (there should be a little
left), check the seasoning and grind over some black pepper.
Pesto:
This
classic Genoese lusciousness is best made slowly, basil leaf by basil leaf in a
pestle and mortar. However, this is up to you as even in a blender it tastes
infinitely better than the shop- bought jars.
Ingredients:
- A large pot
of basil, or a few bunches.
- Good
quality olive oil
- Salt
- Freshly
grated parmesan
- Freshly
grated pecorino
- ½ a bag of
pine nuts
- 1 or 2
cloves of garlic
Method:
Heat a
frying pan on a medium heat and add the pine nuts, shaking the pan every now
and then so they don't catch. Keep doing this until they are nicely toasted and
golden. Don't leave them, they will burn in a flash.
If using a blender, throw in the basil leaves and a good glug of oil and blitz together. Add the pine nuts, garlic and a pinch of salt and blitz again, adding more olive oil until the pesto becomes the consistency of thick double cream.
Pour in the grated cheeses, pulse until incorporated and check the seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Keep adding olive oil if needed to achieve that silken sweetness that pesto has. Store in an airtight jar with a layer of oil on top of the pesto. It keeps well in the fridge for up to five days, but is best eaten fresh.