A winter BBQ by the pond

Roasted almonds taste particularly good when you are snuggled up in front of the fire pit. Alternatively, you can surprise your loved ones this year with a festive menu from the barbecue. Enjoy time with friends and family in the garden by the pond while the aroma of juicy meat and vegetables fills the air – this is also possible in autumn and winter. A winter barbecue is the new trend for the whole family. Enjoy your meal!  

Roasted almonds

Ingredients for 6 people: 

200 g almonds, 200 g sugar, 150 ml water, zest of one unwaxed orange

Preparation: 

Mix the almonds with the sugar and water and bring to a simmer. Allow the mixture to simmer while stirring continuously, until the water has completely evaporated and the sugar has settled on the almonds and crystallised. Place the almonds on a baking sheet covered with baking paper and sprinkle with the orange zest. Allow the almonds to cool and then chop them up.

Tip: All year-round barbecue

In windy and stormy weather, one thing is crucial:  correctly positioning the barbecue. The barbecue should always be head-on to the wind so that the cold hits the lid and not the food. Also remember the following: The lower the outside temperature, the more time it will take to properly cook the food. At 0°C, the cooking time is around 20 percent longer.  


Wild duck breast with a nut crust

Ingredients for 4 people: 

4 wild duck breasts, 75 g butter, 1 egg, 40 g white breadcrumbs, 40 g walnuts, seasonal salad, a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, ground salt & pepper to taste

Method: 

1. Remove the fatty skin from the wild duck breast, season with salt and pepper. Grill the duck breast on the barbecue on each side for 2 minutes, remove from the barbecue and set aside.
2. Stir the butter until frothy. Chop the nuts into rough pieces and roast them for a short period on a barbecue. Mix the roasted walnuts with breadcrumbs, egg and the frothy butter, and season the mixture with salt and pepper.
3. Coat the wild duck breast on one side with the nut mixture and barbecue it on indirect heat on the grill for about 12 to 15 minutes on the meat side until pink.
4. Cut the wild duck breast into strips and arrange on mixed leaf salad.

Tip:  

Serve with bread dumplings as a side dish. The dumplings should be prepared a day before serving and placed in the refrigerator overnight. This will make them firmer. For a particularly festive barbecue dish, cut open the dumplings and place them in a drip tray. After a few minutes on the grill, the dumplings will be ready to serve.
 

Tip: Barbecuing in icy temperatures 

Only bring the food out into the cold when the barbecue is ready and it can be cooked straight away. The high water content of the food means it may freeze quickly in the icy winter air. Sauces, butter and oils can also flake or congeal at low temperatures. Therefore, only take the food outside if can be placed on the grill immediately.

Grilled root vegetables

Ingredients for 6 people: 

500 g potatoes, 500 g carrots, 500 g red beetroot, 4 parsnips, 6 cloves of garlic, 1 red onion, 2 teaspoon of olive oil, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme, salt, pepper

Suitable accessories: 

1. Grilling basket.
2. We recommend using a chimney starter for charcoal barbecues, and to fill this up 2/3 of the way with briquettes.

Preparation – In the kitchen: 

1. Peel the potatoes, root vegetables and onion, and cut them into pieces of about 3 x 3 cm.
2. Place the vegetables into a grilling basket.
3. Crush six garlic cloves with a knife blade and sprinkle over the vegetables.
4. Season with salt and pepper, then place two sprigs of thyme on the vegetables and drizzle with olive oil.

On the barbecue: 

1. Prepare the barbecue for indirect heat by raising the temperature to approximately 200°C.
2. When the barbecue is ready, place the grilling basket on indirect heat and close the lid.
3. Cook the vegetables for approx. 40 minutes until tender. 

Tips: 

You can use any root vegetables for this recipe. You just have to make sure they all cook in the same amount of time. If necessary, adjust the size of the pieces. To glaze the vegetables and add an extra touch of flavour, drizzle a little honey over them before placing them on the barbecue.


Crêpe Normande

Ingredients for 6 people: 

250 g flour, 2 g salt, 25 g sugar, 550 ml milk, 20 g butter, 50 ml rapeseed oil, 100 g sugar, 10 ml Calvados or apple brandy, 1 egg and 3 egg yolks, 3 apples

Accessories required: 

1. Ceramic pizza stone or ceramic plate. 
2. If using a charcoal barbecue, we recommend using a chimney starter filled 2/3 of the way with briquettes. 

Preparation – In the kitchen: 

1. Mix the flour with the salt and sugar. Mix the egg and egg yolks well with the milk. Melt the butter. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the milk mixture and mix it well to avoid lumps forming. Finally, stir in the butter. Cover the mixture & leave it to rest for about 20 minutes.
2. Peel the apples and cut them into 1/2 cm cubes. In a saucepan, allow the sugar to caramelise (do not apply too much heat, but allow it to melt slowly) until it is golden brown. Add the sugar to the apples and then douse them with the Calvados. Cook the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the mixture from the heat. Set the mixture aside.

 On the barbecue: 

1. Prepare the barbecue for direct heat (220°C) with the ceramic pizza stone.
2. Spread a little oil on the stone and place a scoop of batter (not too much, as the crêpes should be thin) onto it, then spread it around using a palette knife. Cook the crêpes on one side (this does not take long, about 1 minute), then flip them with a spatula. As soon as both sides are golden brown, remove the crêpes from the heat. Repeat the process with the rest of the batter.
3. To serve, fold the crêpe into four and add a spoonful of apple mixture.