The dog days of the Christmas holiday season have ended and, if you are anything like me, your barbecue got a serious workout. But that’s not to say the grill should fall idle now. This is a time for new ideas to maintain not only the thrill of cooking outside, but also the appreciative murmurs of friends and family as you whip up more than chops and steaks. 

Here are some simple ways to fan the flames of creativity.

ADD SOME SEXY VEG

Sure, I’ve been imploring you to blister split broccolini, snow peas and green beans on a hot grill for a while now. Afterwards, you can dress them in a simple vinaigrette, add a squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle of sea salt, or toss them with yoghurt and tahini (loosened with more lemon juice). But there’s so much more you could do for a veg-forward spin on a weekend lunch or weekday dinner. How about some fat wedges of white cabbage, softened in the microwave, then set to char on the grill before a final slathering of blue-cheese dressing? Remember to cut cabbage with the stem intact so the leaves hold together.

MAKE IT CHEESY

Grilling slices of cheese on the grill is usually risky – even if you have brushed them with olive oil first – as they can stick or melt away into the flames. However it’s worth the risk when cooking slices of robust scamorza (akin to a smoked mozzarella). If you have access to lemon leaves or bay leaves, you can lay narrow slices of this cheese on the leaves and put these on the grill. (Note that each piece of cheese needs to be smaller than each leaf, as it spreads as it heats.) The cooking of the leaves flavours the cheese and protects it from the flames. But be careful taking them off the grill, and eat the cheese immediately. Don’t eat the leaves.

LOVE A QUICKER LAMB

I love cooking a boned shoulder or butterflied leg of lamb on the barbecue, but this typically requires planning as I’ll usually marinate it overnight. Instead, take a small (around 800g) boned and trimmed lamb shoulder, score the fat, season with salt and cook it meat-side down on a hot barbecue for 10 minutes. Flip over to the fat side, brush the meat with mint jelly you’ve warmed in a pan and loosened with lemon juice, and turn down the heat. If you’ve got a lid, close it. Cook until the fat is tanned and crispy, about 15 minutes, then rest for 10 minutes.

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PUT ON THE PORK LOIN

I usually avoid putting sugary marinades or glazes on meat as they tend to burn, but using a quick-cooking, lean cut such as pork loin can work. Those qualities are a plus when slathered and marinated in Cantonese char siu sauce. You can make your own – or amp up bottled sauce with a little extra five-spice powder – and this recipe works best on a barbecue with a lid. First, reserve a third of sauce to re-glaze while barbecuing, then rub the rest over the loin and marinate overnight. If the loin is particularly wide, halve lengthwise first to help it to cook quicker – and pick a loin that hasn’t been totally stripped of fat. A thin layer on top protects the meat and melts to a delicious crispiness.

SMOKE THAT CHICKEN

Despite our love for all things smoky, smokers are still pretty rare in Aussie homes. But you can cheat a bit by cooking chicken thighs with some wood chips, if you have a lidded barbecue with a flat grill and normal grill. Turn on both sides of the barbecue and put pellets or soaked wood chips on a sheet of foil on the flat grill. When the grill is hot, sear your thighs. Turn off the grill burners, but leave the burners under the flat grill on, and shut the lid so the smoke from the wood swirls around inside. When the chook is cooked through, serve it with the salad I saw this summer: wedges of sliced baby gem or cos lettuce dressed with Japanese mayo, lemon juice and (gasp!) maple syrup. It’s a strangely alluring combo that works well with the mild smokiness of the chook.

SEAFOOD WITH SPICE

All right, I admit it: I’m an oven-and-pan man when it comes to seafood. But I also struggle to go past delicious. editor-in-chief Kerrie McCallum’s easy recipe for Sichuan barbecued prawns, loaded with delectably zingy Sichuan and sesame oil. 

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