Impress your barbecue guests with the best side dishes from Mrs Crunch and her Brioche buns cost just 8p each
Ensure you have all the best side dishes for your summer barbecues - it's not all about the meat
WITH summer here, we are all hoping for long, sunny days.
And if we get them, we love to light the barbecue and feast outside with friends.
Here are some great side dishes and a recipe for home-made brioche burger buns that are simple to make but will impress your guests.
Now join the barbie queue!
Brioche buns - 8p each
Makes six.
Preparation time: 15mins – plus up to three hours rising.
Cooking time: 20mins.
One serving contains 216 calories (11% of your recommended daily intake); 7g fat (10%); 3.5g sat fat (17%); 3g sugar (3%); trace salt (less than 1%).
YOU NEED:
125ml warm water
1 tsp dried yeast (not fast-action)
1½ tbsp warm milk
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
225g strong flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg, plus 1 beaten egg, for glazing
MOST READ IN MONEY
METHOD: Mix the warm water, yeast, warm milk and sugar in a bowl.
Let it stand for 5mins until it becomes frothy and the yeast is visibly working.
Tip the flour and 1 tsp salt into a large mixing bowl.
Add the butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Make a well in the centre of the buttery flour and add the yeast mixture and the eggs.
Use your hands to mix it into a sticky dough – don’t worry if the mixture feels a little wet at this stage, it will come together when kneading.
Tip the dough out on to a floured work surface. Knead for ten mins by stretching it on the work surface.
It will still be very sticky at this stage – don’t be tempted to add too much flour.
The dough is ready when it feels soft and bouncy – this means the gluten strands have developed.
Place in an oiled bowl, cover with cling film and set aside to rise for 1-3 hours or until doubled in size.
Once the dough has doubled in size, knock the air out and knead again for 2mins.
The dough should be much less sticky now, but add a little flour if it needs it.
Divide the dough into 12-16 even pieces.
Roll into balls or sausage shapes and arrange on lined baking trays.
Cover with oiled cling film and leave for about an hour or until doubled in size again.
Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6 and place a shallow baking tray at the bottom.
Uncover the trays and brush the buns with egg.
Pour a cup of water into a baking tray at the bottom of the oven to create steam.
Bake for 20 mins or until golden, then leave to cool on a wire rack.
TIP: Sprinkle the buns with sesame or poppy seeds.
Tomato and Chickpea Salad - 33p per person
Serves four.
Preparation time: 5mins.
Cooking time: 10mins.
One serving contains 191 calories (10% of your recommended daily intake); 13g fat (19%); 1.8g sat fat (9%); 2g sugar (2%); 0.25g salt (4%)
YOU NEED:
For the salad:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 400g tin chickpeas, drained
Salt
2 tsp ground cumin
150g cherry tomatoes, halved
Large handful chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
For the vinaigrette:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp minced shallot
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
METHOD: For the salad, heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until simmering.
Add the chickpeas and spread out into a single layer. Cook without stirring until lightly browned on the bottom, 3 to 4mins.
Stir, add a big pinch of salt and spread the chickpeas out again.
Cook for another 2mins, then stir and spread out again as needed, until golden brown and blistered on all sides.
From start to finish, this will take about 6 to 7mins.
Remove from the heat, add the cumin and toss to coat.
While the chickpeas are cooking, make the vinaigrette – whisk the oil, vinegar, shallot, a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper together in a large bowl.
Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and parsley. Toss everything to combine.
Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as needed.
TIP: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight tub in the fridge for up to three days.
Sweet Potato and Carrot Salad - 39p per person
Serves six.
Preparation time: 15mins.
Cooking time: 35mins.
One serving contains 211 calories (11% of your recommended daily intake); 6g fat (9%); 1g sat fat (5%); 18g sugar (20%); 0.2g salt (3%).
YOU NEED:
600g sweet potato, peeled and cut into biggish chunks
600g carrots, peeled and cut to roughly the same size chunks
1 tbsp olive oil
For the dressing:
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 spring onions, finely sliced
Small bunch of chives, snipped into quarters
5 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp honey
METHOD: Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6.
Toss the sweet potato chunks and carrots with the olive oil and some seasoning, and spread on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Roast for 30-35 mins until tender and golden.
When cool, whisk together the dressing ingredients with a little more seasoning and gently toss through. Serve.
TIP: If you prefer, swap potato for butternut squash and carrot for beetroot. Be adventurous!
BBQ Corn on the Cob
Serves six.
Preparation time: 5mins.
Cooking time: 15mins.
65 cals (3% of your recommended daily intake); 2g fat (3%); 0.2g sat fat (1%); 2g sugar (2%); 0.4g salt (7%).
YOU NEED:
6 ears of corn on the cob
Butter-flavoured cooking spray
Salt
METHOD: Remove any husks from the corn.
Spray each ear with cooking spray.
Place directly over the barbecue.
Rotate when dark spots start to appear and the kernels deepen in colour.
This usually takes about 2 to 3mins and the ears will be fully cooked in around 10 to 12mins.
To make sure it’s done, look for char spots speckled on the ears.
Add salt and serve.
TIP: Serve piping hot with softened butter mixed with herbs or chilli.