Gordon Ramsay's Passions | Food

Date Published:: 07/09/2007

Barbecue Time

In the summer, I love to barbecue for the family at the weekend. And we certainly know how to have a good barbie.

But I do get frustrated when I go to someone else’s barbecue and see a load of blokes sitting around, beer in one hand, blackened drumstick in the other. The key is to light your barbecue an hour and a half before, so it’s simmering not flaming when you put the food on. I sometimes put a couple of bricks, wrapped in foil, under the coals to raise them nearer the grill - that way they aren’t so far away when the heat starts to die away.

I like to cook salmon, brushing it with olive oil first so it doesn’t stick. As for chicken drumsticks and wings, I put them in a saucepan of water the night before with a bay leaf and some seasoning, let them come to the boil for five minutes, turn them off and leave them.

When the barbecue’s ready the next day, I take them out, rub them through with olive oil and finish them on the grill. I’ve also then got a great chicken stock to use afterwards.

We make lots of salads to go with it - you can get some great lettuces, like cos and gem, in this country. We don’t have heavy dressings, just olive oil, lemon or lime juice, a touch of balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Or blood orange, vinaigrette, olive oil with parmesan shavings, tossed in with the salad. That way you can taste the salad as it should be, not just the dressing. When I lived in Provence, we used to take white peaches, cut them in half, drizzle them with olive oil and season with sugar, then put them on the grill for two or three minutes. They taste amazing.