Stokes Sauces: Barbecue Side Dishes

Sides & Salads

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/mayo-range

It's the tasty array of salads and side dishes that turn a BBQ into a feast for your family and friends.

As we enter the BBQ season, we will visit, interpret and share a number of tasty, colourful and simple dishes to dress your dining tables - indoors and out.

Simple can be tasty too, like this tomato, rocket and mozzarella salad.

To really get the best from the tomatoes, slice then soak them for an hour in olive oil and Stokes Olive & Balsamic Dressing (4 tbsp of each) with torn basil leaves and a sprinkling of good sea salt flakes.

The tomatoes absorb the flavours and the salt releases the tomato juices. Use a slotted spoon to lift the tomatoes onto the salad and the remaining juices to dress it.

Grilled Halloumi & Asparagus

Here's how:

As with so many BBQ recipes, it's the marinade that adds so much to this flavoursome side.

Mix 4 tbsp of olive oil, 4 tbsp of Stokes Mango & Orange Dressing, lemon juice and a good shake of Stokes Sweet Chilli Sauce in a bowl.

Add the halloumi strips, covering them well in the fruity, peppery marinade, with its chilli zing, and let it rest for an hour or so.

Carefully skewer the squeaky cheese and verdant green asparagus, brush with a little marinade and grill them for 5 or 6 minutes on each side, brushing again on the turn.

Serve with a squeeze of lemon and enjoy it with a burger, chop or spare rib.

Balsamic Asparagus

As the all-too-short British Asparagus season has just begun, it's a shame not to eat lots of it while we can.

Here's how:

First, steam or poach your asparagus.

[TIP: Stand the asparagus upright, stem down in a couple of inches of boiling water, tips up. This way, with the lid on, the tougher stems gets the harsher poaching whilst the more fragile tips gently steam.]

Time it so the tips are still nicely crisp and the stems tender, then stop them cooking by running them in cold water or plunging them into a bowl of iced water.

Now, dress them with olives, Parmesan shavings and a drizzle of Stokes Olive & Balsamic Dressing.

American Mac 'n' Cheese

http://www.stokessauces.co.uk/page/sauces/ketchup-and-sauces

No self-respecting BBQ in the States will be served without Mac 'n' Cheese. It's fun and catching on on this side of the pond too.

Here's how:

Cook 350 g of macaroni in boiling water to the pack's instructions. Melt 25 g of butter, adding 1 tbsp of Stokes Classic English Mustard, 1 tbsp of Stokes Original BBQ Sauce and 3 tbsp of flour to make a roux.

Gradually add 500 ml of milk, whisking until it thickens. Grate 250 g of Cheddar and 25 g of Parmesan cheese to the sauce. When the cheese has melted into the milk, combine the sauce and cooked macaroni in an oven dish.

Grate more cheese onto the top and bake in a medium high oven for 20 minutes. The cheesy macaroni, with gentle heat from the mustard and sweet smokiness from the BBQ sauce, is wonderful with a couple of barbecued sausages.

With dressings like this...