W hen it comes to barbecuing, subtlety is often overlooked amid the sizzle of sausages and the char of burgers, but it takes only a light extra touch to elevate your alfresco meal into something really special. I love fire cooking, because that lick of flame turns even simple ingredients into something greater than the sum of their parts. You can take something as ordinary as a leek, say, and transform it over hot coals into a dish that is unrecognisably delicious.
Of course, it also helps that you’re then covering that leek in a rich pecorino sauce, but I’m telling you, without those flames, it just wouldn’t be the same. Today’s recipes, which are all taken from our restaurant menu at the Parakeet, show there’s magic to be had in the seeming chaos of smoke-infused vegetable cooking. For those who can’t resist the allure of traditional barbecue fare, they’re all also designed to pair with sausages (wild boar, ideally), thick-cut pork chops or flame-grilled fish.
Flame-grilled leeks with pecorino sauce and mushroom pickle View image in fullscreen Ben Allen’s flame-grilled leeks with pecorino sauce and mushroom pickle. Prep 20 min Infuse Overnight Cook 55 min Serves 4-6 250g oyster mushrooms , torn into strips 12 medium-large leeks For the pecorino sauce 25g black peppercorns 25g white peppercorns 1 litre double cream 350g pecorino , grated, or vegetarian alternative 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest For the mushroom pickle 750ml red-wine vinegar 250g brown sugar 1.