Grumpy Bear’s Cookery Corner

Summer is here, so fire up the barby before autumn comes!

Prawn, Mango and Lime Skewers

John Porteous John.Porteous@aspen-waite.co.uk

These are quick and easy – and so yummy. This recipe makes 8 skewers. 20 minutes prep and about 8 minutes cooking.

Ingredients

• 16 large, raw tiger prawns, peeled and de-veined • 4 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut into 1inch (2½cm) cubes* • 4 limes, cut into wedges

*Cook’s tip: For anyone who has trouble peeling a mango, the best way to get at the lovely juicy flesh is to: 1. Place on its long edge and slice each side just past the seed (about ¼ inch from the centre) • 2tbsp olive oil • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2. Slice the flesh of each side into squares without breaking the skin 3. Pop the squares up by inverting the sides 4. Slice the squares away from the skin.

Method

1. If you aren’t using a barby, preheat your grill to high 2. Slide a prawn on to each of four long skewers, followed by a cube of mango and a wedge of lime. Repeat until you’ve used up all the prawns, mango cubes and lime wedges 3. Drizzle the oil over the skewers and season with the salt and pepper 4. Either pop onto the barby or place under the grill for a few minutes, turning once, until the prawns turn pink and are cooked through 5. Serve with a simple rocket salad, or whatever you like really

Vodka Marinated Steaks

John Porteous John.Porteous@aspen-waite.co.uk

Vodka is a great medium for other flavours. This is a great way of preparing beef for a good grilling. Serves 8

Ingredients

1.8kg (4lb) boneless sirloin cut into 8 individual steaks 1tbsp coarse sea salt 2tbsp crushed black peppercorns 3tbsp finely chopped parsley 2tbsp finely chopped thyme 3 garlic cloves, crushed 5tbsp vodka 4tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Rub each steak with the salt and pepper.

Place in a resealable plastic bag. Add the parsley, thyme and garlic. Pour in the vodka and olive oil. Seal the bag and place in a bowl in the fridge. Marinate for 1-2 days, turning the bag twice a day 2. Let the meat stand at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before cooking. Take the steaks out of the bag, and transfer the marinade to a little jug. 3. Cook your steaks to order on the grill, brushing them occasionally with the marinade 4. Serve with whatever other goodies you decide to have for your barbecue. You could even serve with a little ice cold vodka shot!

NB: You can experiment with the marinade flavours as much as you like, maybe adding some spices to it, or trying sage, tarragon, etc. – or even flavoured vodka! The possibilities are endless.

Seabreeze Sorbet

John Porteous John.Porteous@aspen-waite.co.uk

You need a cocktail at a party, so why not turn one into a little dessert. This will serve 6-8 glasses, takes 5 minutes to prep and 4-6 hours to freeze.

Ingredients

• 2 pints (1140ml) fresh grapefruit juice • ½ pint (300ml) cranberry juice cordial • 2fl oz (60ml) vodka • 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Method

1. Mix together the grapefruit juice, cranberry cordial and vodka*. Pour into an empty ice cream container and freeze until nearly solid 2. Remove from freezer, allow to soften slightly, then cut into cubes and put into a food processor bowl 3. Use the pulse button to break up the ice crystals whilst pouring the egg white through the funnel. Once the egg white has been mixed in, put the mixture back into the container and freeze until firm

*Cook’s tip: Be sure to measure the ingredients carefully as the mixture won’t freeze if there is too much sugar or alcohol. If this happens, just stir in a little more grapefruit juice and return to the freezer.

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