Make your next barbecue extra special with the help of Michelin-starred chef Marcus Wareing. 

This delicious veggie barbecue makes the most of a variety of wonderful summer vegetables

This delicious veggie barbecue makes the most of a variety of wonderful summer vegetables

This delicious veggie barbecue makes the most of a variety of wonderful summer vegetables

We sometimes focus too much on meat and fish on a barbecue. This recipe takes full advantage of wonderful summer vegetables.

Serves 4

  • 2 corn cobs
  • 1 broccoli head
  • 1 aubergine, cut lengthways into 1cm (½in) thick slices
  • 50ml (2fl oz) vegetable oil
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • A bunch of spring onions
  • 2 heads of gem lettuce, halved lengthways

For the harissa yoghurt

  • 2tbsp rose harissa paste
  • 100g (3½oz) Greek yoghurt
  • Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

For the dressing

  • 50ml (2fl oz) olive oil
  • 1tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 2tbsp capers in brine, finely chopped
  • ½ a bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves chopped

Heat your barbecue until hot. Blanch the corn cobs in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then plunge into a bowl of iced water. 

Peel the outer layer off the broccoli stalk and quarter the head lengthways. 

Blanch the head and stalk for 2 minutes, then plunge into iced water. When the corn and broccoli are cold, drain and pat dry with kitchen paper. 

Extracted from Marcus Everyday: Easy Family Food For Every Kind Of Day, by Marcus Wareing, published by HarperCollins, £20, available from all good bookshops. Photography: Susan Bell.

Extracted from Marcus Everyday: Easy Family Food For Every Kind Of Day, by Marcus Wareing, published by HarperCollins, £20, available from all good bookshops. Photography: Susan Bell.

Extracted from Marcus Everyday: Easy Family Food For Every Kind Of Day, by Marcus Wareing, published by HarperCollins, £20, available from all good bookshops. Photography: Susan Bell.

Cut the corn cobs in half. Brush the aubergine slices liberally on both sides with some of the vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place the corn, broccoli, spring onions and lettuce in a large dish. Drizzle with the remaining oil and season.

To make the harissa yoghurt, mix everything in a bowl and season to taste. To make the dressing, mix everything in a bowl and season to taste.

Cook the aubergine, corn and spring onions on the hot barbecue until charred on each side. After a few minutes, add the broccoli and cook until charred. 

Finish with the lettuce, which will only take about 2 minutes on each side. Place everything on a platter and drizzle with the harissa yoghurt, then the dressing. Serve hot.

MARCUS SAYS: Lettuce heads are wonderful cooked on a barbecue. You just have to be careful not to leave them on there too long. Halve them, put them on quickly, then set aside to cool – and just pour a simple dressing over 

Source: Food Recipes and News