Come on baby light my fire!!!!

Now that the summer is definitely here the men in my house are taking over the cooking. It’s all about BBQ and grilling and, if it rains, fish suppers from the chippy! Happy days.

We all love the charred , smoky flavours of anything cooked on a BBQ. It really whets the appetite and makes eating outside so much fun. Even vegetables take on a better flavour when cooked outside. I have seen dedicated meat eaters fighting over chargrilled peppers and beetroots.

Good quality Italian sausages were made to be barbecued. They are made with 100% pork, with a decent amount of pork fat to keep them moist. If you snuggle them with red peppers, bay leaves and red onions they become deliciously flavoured and aromatic.

GRILLED ITALIAN SAUSAGES

500g fresh pork Italian or British 100% pork sausages

2-3 red peppers

2-3 fresh bay leaves

2 red onions

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Lemon

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before putting on the heat.

Pre-heat the BBQ, an instant disposable BBQ or grill pan.

Cut each sausage into 3-4 cm size pieces.

De-seed the peppers and cut them into quarters, lengthwise

Peel and quarter the red onions

Thread the sausages onto the skewers, alternating them with a quarter of red pepper, a bay leaf and a piece of red onion.

Nestle them together so they are held together as they are grilling.

Paint each skewer with some extra virgin olive oil and season well with black pepper.

When the grill is ready lay the skewers on top, not too close to the coals. As they grill, turn them regularly so they cook evenly. the sausages and vegetables become caramelised and cooked through.

Serve with plenty of lemon juice and a sprinkling of sea salt .

GRILLED BEETROOT AND GREEK YOGHURT

8-10 small beetroot, leafy roots attached

Oil, salt and pepper .

Greek yogurt, lemon , dill

Young beetroot cooks brilliantly on the embers. Scrub it clean and lay it on the BBQ , at an area that is not too hot so that the beetroot will cook slowly. Keep turning it and moving it if it becomes too blackened. It is ready when it is easily pierced with a metal skewer.

When it is cooked the outside will be blackened and charred but inside will be sweet and juicy.

Slice them and lay on a plate.

Drizzle with olive oil, sea salt and freshly grated black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and some tablespoons of Greek yogurt, squeeze over some lemon juice and scatter with chopped dill.