We are delighted to be able to offer Mum's guide followers £25 OFF the new TheoCooks BBQ!  Simply enter the code 'mumsguide' at checkout to redeem the offer. And to get your BBQ off to a flying start this summer we've got some great recipes courtesy of Theo.

Based on a traditional Greek style BBQ, the TheoCooks BBQ will change the way you cook outside forever. A solid steel construction perfect for cooking over charcoal, wood or briquettes with 11 individual skewers and 3 huge skewers all connected to a motorised rotisserie culminates in a totally new cooking experience.  The unique rotisserie design and motor means the food cooks evenly, is self basting and couldn’t be easier to achieve fabulous food without being chained to the BBQ, meaning you get to enjoy your summer BBQs as much as your guests. 

Lamb Souvla

“Souvla = large pieces of meat on a very large stick”. It cannot get better than this; close your eyes and imagine... large pieces of lamb shoulder on a skewer, slowing turning on a rotisserie BBQ, sizzling over charcoal, the smell of smoke meandering through the air...  Now let’s clear something up – this isn’t a kebab, this is an event. This is a recipe that is really made to be cooked on the TheoCooks BBQ!

Cooking meat on a stick over glowing embers has been done for a thousand years and with very good reason – it tastes amazing! The reason I love cooking on a rotisserie BBQ is the food cooks evenly, comes out uber tender and succulent and because it is self-basting (i.e. all those lovely cooking juices keep basting the meat as it turns) it is packed with flavour.

The lamb shoulder is cut up and put on a rotating spit over sizzling charcoal and is quite possibly one of the most natural and delicious ways to cook lamb, or any meat for that matter. The real trick is less being more. There are a few points to note:

1. Buy the best quality lamb shoulder you can get (shoulder works best for this recipe)
2. Ask your butcher to chop the lamb shoulder into ‘fist’ sized pieces (you’ll get about 10 +/- chunks from an average sized shoulder), a good butcher will cut straight through the bone and that is perfect – you want the bone left in.
3. This recipe uses the long skewers (about 70cm long).
4. You want enough charcoal to last a few hours and the coals just turned white/ashened when you are ready to BBQ the lamb shoulder skewer.

This is less a recipe more a how-to...

Ingredients:

1 lamb shoulder – cut into chunks by your butcher
3 tbl olive oil
2 tbl dried oregano
1 tbl sea salt flakes
1/2 tbl ground pepper
1 lemon for seasoning after it’s been cooked. 

Method:

1. Place the lamb chunks into a bowl, add the olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano and mix to coat the meat.
2. Place one lamb chunk on a stable chopping board; rest the tip of the skewer on the meat (so the skewer is pointing vertically downwards) and then push hard so the skewer pierces the bone and goes through it. If it’s a really tough/thick bone just go as close as you can to it.
3. Continue until all pieces are on the skewer – try not to squash them next to each other to much. They should be touching but not crowded.
4. Place the skewer over the coals (adjust height to about 12 inches above the coals), turn the motor on and it should be ready in about 2 hours. But keep checking after 1.5 hours for doness.
5. You can tell when the meat is done as it will be more tender to the touch and you may notice some bones starting to protrude from the meat.
6. Once cooked simply hold the skewer with the point on a chopping board (vertically) and using a fork / back of a knife push down each piece of BBQ lamb shoulder until all are removed.
7. Put on a serving dish, gently cover with foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before serving – when ready to serve, give a little squeeze of lemon and another dusting of salt.
8. Now close your eyes again and inhale the joy of lamb souvla…

Monkfish & Pancetta Kebabs with Tapenade

My monkfish and pancetta skewers are great if you want to do something a little different, and dare I say, a little more refined on the BBQ. It's quite a delicate dish but the tapenade gives the monkfish a lovely sharp and zesty kick that compliments the charring of the pancetta. Monkfish is a little like chicken (I know...I know...) the only reason I make this clichéd comparison is that both are very lean. Monkfish isn't an oily fish that brings it's own fat to the party - you need to add it, and if you overcook monkfish it can turn dry quickly. 

Wrapping the monkfish in pancetta does two things; 1. it tastes AMAZING! Lets face it, everything tastes better with a little rendered pork fat and 2. it protects the monkfish from drying out, it almost steams the monkfish inside the pancetta which keeps it deliciously moist and succulent.

Ingredients:

Monkfish portions (3-5 pp) cut into about 3 inch cubes.
1 rasher of pancetta per monkfish portion

Tapenade Marinade ingredients:
Dozen black olives
1 clove garlic crushed
1 tsp capers
50g chopped parsley
Juice of 1/4 lemon
3 tbl extra virgin olive oil
Seasoning
Chopped parsley for garnish 

Method: 

1. First make your tapenade: finely chop all the tapenade ingredients and then mix with the olive oil and lemon juice (if you have a food processor bung it in!).
2. Now take your cubes of monkfish and combine with the tapenade and let the fish marinate for a few minutes up to about 30 minutes.
3. Next, on a flat rasher of pancetta place a marinated cube of monkfish at one end and roll the pancetta rasher around the monkfish (be sure to get some of the marinade on the monkfish before rolling).
4. Once rolled, skewer the monkfish parcel ideally with the skewer going through the end but of the rasher so it holds it in place. If you are using wooden skewers be sure to soak them for half an hour first.

A note on soaking wooden skewers; I know you should. But I don't. I never remember. And if you are like me and forget just stick a little foil over the ends to avoid them burning.

5. Continue wrapping and skewering all the monkfish parcels until all done.
6. Place the skewers on the BBQ - if you're not using a rotisserie BBQ, ensure you oil your grill to stop the pancetta from sticking.
7. Turn frequently for about 7 minutes or until done (depends a bit on how hot your coals/grill is, how big your monkfish, etc.). In general, a good rule of thumb is once the pancetta is cooked and just turned crispy the monkfish should be done.
8. Remove from the heat, re-season, give a little squeeze of lemon, drizzle of olive oil, a quick hit of chopped parsley and serve! 

Asian Pork Belly Skewers

My Asian Pork Belly Skewers is a lovely take on tradition with a nice spicy hint of the Orient creating bite sized morsels of crunchy crackling, moist succulent meat and a little kick of chilli! Perfect for a British BBQ!

The trick to success when cooking kebabs on the BBQ is to cook them, quick, on a high heat and don’t overcook!

Ingredients:
400g rindless pork belly slices
60ml Shaoshing Rice Wine (substitute for sherry if not available)
60ml light soy sauce
30ml rice wine vinegar (substitute for white wine vinegar if not available)
Pinch salt & pepper
½ tbl Chinese five spice powder
1 whole red chilli finely sliced
1 tbl sugar
Small bunch fresh coriander chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
1 inch fresh ginger grated 

Method:

1. First make the marinade by adding all the ingredients into a bowl except the pork and fresh coriander.
2. Cut the pork belly strips at 2 inch intervals and combine with the marinade. Leave overnight or just an hour to help infuse.
3. When ready, drain the marinade away from the pork belly and skewer, they should be touching but not crowded. If using wooden skewers soak them for an hour first to stop them burning on the BBQ.
4. Place the skewer over the coals, turn on the rotisserie motor and cook for about 8 minutes turning frequently.
5. Once cooked simply hold the skewer vertically with the point on a chopping board and using a fork / back of a knife push down each piece of pork until all area removed.
6. Place on a serving dish, give a little squeeze of fresh lime, a scattering of fresh coriander and any left-over chilli for some colour and heat. 

BBQ Goats Cheese with Dates

There are a lot of goat cheese recipes, but my grilled goats cheese parcels are a bit different and proper tasty. Imagine soft, earthy goats cheese stuffed with a sweet date, lovingly gift-wrapped in pancetta to create a small parcel.

Now take your small goats cheese parcel and skewer it interspersed with large chunks of bread doused in olive oil then grilled over hot coals on your barbecue. The bread I think just brings the whole dish together; ready-made crispy croutons perfect for eating with the grilled goat cheese parcels.

Ingredients – serves 4 (2 each):

360g soft goats cheese (ideally a small goats cheese log)
Dozen dates
12 rashers of pancetta
1 small loaf of bread (any bread but not sliced)
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil
Seasoning
Tablespoon oregano
Pinch dried chilli flakes 

Method:

1. Cut your goats cheese log into 1 inch thick discs
2. Gently push a date into the middle of each one
3. Wrap the pancetta around the goats cheese changing direction by 90degrees half way through to try and wrap the whole thing (don’t worry about a few gaps) and season with a little black pepper.
4. Prepare your croutons; rip similar size pieces of bread out as the goats cheese parcels and then drizzle over the bread the olive oil, salt, pepper, chilli flakes and oregano.
5.  Now skewer a goats cheese parcel and pieces of bread alternately on the skewers.

Note: when piercing the goats cheese parcels, place the skewer through the centre of the goats cheese ideally going through the date and if possible the end of the piece of pancetta like the image below.

6.  Place the skewers over the coals and keep then turning for about 4-5 minute or just until the pancetta is cooked and crispy (if you leave them to long they will melt!). Alternatively you can also cook these straight on the grill without skewering them, cook on a high heat for a couple of minutes on each side.

Find more great recipes on TheoCooks.com.