Pack a Picnic
With only a month left of summer, I have a sense of summer FOMO. Wanting to make the most of the good weather and weekends, I often plan a backyard BBQ or beachside picnic. Whether it’s a spontaneous affair or scheduled event, I have some go-to BBQ Picnic ideas to set you on your way.
The recipes featured can all be prepared ahead of time and cooked or assembled on location making for a fuss free and enjoyable experience.
Mini Kale Cob Loaves
This is a spin on the classic spinach and spring vegetable cob dip that you probably enjoyed in the 80’s. The original is usually loaded with heavy sour cream, which is high in saturated fat. I’ve used cottage cheese in this recipe as a lighter alternative and opted for single serve portions of the much loved cob dip. Of course you could make one large cob using the same recipe if you prefer the shared variety.
Makes 6 Ingredients 1 lemon, juiced 1 Tbsp olive oil Leaves from 3 stems of kale, roughly chopped 1/3 C mixed herbs of your choice (I used parsley, mint and chives) 1 stalk of celery 300g cottage cheese 6 seeded rolls Bite sized raw vegetables to serve.
Method
Blackberry, Sage & White Peach Water
Berries and stone fruit are at their peak during the summer months, which means they are in plentiful supply, making them a whole lot cheaper. I’m a sucker for the “2 for $5” sales strategy and feel the need to stock up for the sake of a bargain. Often fruit gets wasted in our household so I freeze it (whole or chopped) to use later. If your freezer supply is already stocked, try adding the surplus fruit to a jug of water.
Fresh herbs are a great addition to flavour water. I have loads of sage in the garden at the moment and after a bit of research I’m convinced that the blackberry sage combo might be worth a try. Mint would also work a treat in this recipe. Mine is struggling, so sage it is!
This is the type of drink that keeps on giving. Continue to top up your glass as the day goes on and you’ll find the flavour improves every time. Most importantly, don’t forget to eat the fruit when you’re done.
Makes 6
Ingredients ½ punnet blackberries, halved 6 sprigs sage (mint is a good substitute) 1 white peach, cut into wedges water
Method Za’atar Spice Mix Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice mix that has many different recipe variations floating around. The one ‘must have’ spice in Za’atar is sumac, which gives the mix its characteristic lemony sour flavour. I’ve used my Za’atar Spice Mix to jazz up burger buns and flavour the burger patties. You could also enjoy the Za’atar Spice Mix by adding a sprinkle to natural yoghurt, infusing oil or rubbed onto a piece of meat to be roasted. Ingredients 1 ½ Tbsp sumac 1 Tbsp fresh, dried thyme, chopped 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds 1 Tbsp dried oregano 1 Tbsp dried parsley 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp salt
Method
We Love Our Lamb Burgers Jazz up any old bun by glazing with egg wash and sprinkling with the Za’atar Spice Mix before placing in the over for a few minutes to set. Not only does this add loads of flavour, but also freshens up day-old buns. Inspired by traditional Australia Day celebrations, I’ve used lamb mince in this recipe as an alternative to the traditional beef burger. Lamb is ideal for BBQ-ing. The extra fat content means meat that doesn’t dry out. In keeping with the Middle Eastern feel of the dish, I’ve used couscous instead of bread crumbs to bind the pattie mixture. It works in exactly the same way with an added textural element. What’s a burger without caramelized onions? My Baked Caramelized Onion Rings are easy as! Who has time to stand over the stove stirring a pot of onions over low heat?! Instead, pop these beauties in a medium oven and let them simmer away while you prep the rest of the dish. Haloumi – Grilled, salty and oozy. Need I say more? Makes 4 Ingredients Patties 500g lamb mince ¼ C coucous 1 egg 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbsp Za’atar spice mix (an additional 1 Tbsp for buns) Baked caramelized Onions 2 spanish onions, sliced into rings 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp brown sugar Jazzed Up Buns 4 milk or brioche buns 2 Tbsp milk 1 egg 1 packet haloumi, sliced 4 baby cos lettuce leaves, washed and torn into smaller pieces ½ C natural yoghurt Method Hawaiian Chicken Skewers These skewers are the ultimate crowd pleaser and will be a hit at your picnic or BBQ. They are the perfect mix of sticky, sweet and salty and smell just like an old school Hawaiian pizza. Like lamb, chicken thighs are perfect for BBQ-ing. The extra fat content means the meat doesn’t dry out leaving you with deliciously juicy chicken. Don’t waste the pineapple juice, it’s the key ingredient in the marinade, which imparts flavour and tenderises the chicken. If you can marinate the skewers overnight your’ll get maximum flavour. Makes 12 Ingredients 500g (4) chicken thigh fillets, sliced 300g speck, cut into cubes 1 x 430g tinned pineapple pieces in juice (reserve juice) 2 Tbsp olive oil 4 sprigs thyme 12 bamboo skewers
Method: Fruit Salad Cones The worst part of a picnic is lugging everything to your picnic location AND offloading the rubbish once you’re done. As well as carefully planning the food, you also need to think about crockery and cutlery. This is a low fuss, prepare ahead, minimal crockery/cutlery dish that’s perfectly refreshing for a picnic dessert. All you’ll need is the container that you pack the fruit salad in and a spoon to serve! Makes 4 Ingredients 4 ice cream cones ¼ rockmelon, diced ½ mango, diced ½ punnet blueberries 6-8 strawberries, hulled and quartered 4 raspberries or blackberries, halved pulp from 2 passionfruits 1 peach, diced 1 plum, diced 1 banana 6 basil leaves finely chopped Juice from ½ lime … or any other fruit of your choice
Method
