You’re planning a barbecue but you don’t want to go overboard. If you’re wondering whether there is such a thing as a healthy barbecue, the answer is yes! We’ve already posted some original recipes for such an occasion. Today, though, we’re going to focus on another vital component of any barbecue: sauces.
Forget about bought ketchup and mayonnaise: we’re going to get to work making our own sauces for meat and vegetables—a fresh vinaigrette, a healthy barbecue sauce and a special yogurt sauce for vegetables and white meat.
Fresh mustard vinaigrette
This sauce is great for fatty meats, as it adds a light, refreshing touch, as well as a burst of flavour. To make it you’ll need extra-virgin olive oil, Modena balsamic vinegar, finely chopped onion and gherkin, a dash of lime juice and wholegrain mustard. Stir all the ingredients together and season to taste. You can always add a bit of cayenne or chilli pepper to spice things up a bit. If you really can’t be bothered to make your own, you can always buy a readymade one.
Homemade barbecue sauce
No barbecue would be complete without a sauce actually called Barbecue Sauce. However, despite any purists’ objections, we’re going to give the recipe a healthy, homemade twist by cutting down on the calories and additives. Start with a homemade tomato sauce, made with fresh peeled and chopped tomatoes, spring onion, garlic, salt and a little sugar to offset the acidity. Gently fry and then give it a whiz in the blender. Once you’ve got a concentrated sauce, for every four spoonfuls of sauce add one spoonful of honey, half a spoonful of soya sauce, a pinch of paprika and a few drops of tabasco. Finger-licking-good spare ribs on the way!
Yogurt and mint sauce
We’ll end with a special sauce for vegetables and white meat, e.g. chicken brochettes with wild mushrooms, wild asparagus or courgette. Simply mix together some creamy, low-fat yogurt, a dash of extra-virgin olive oil, a squirt of lemon juice, salt, black pepper and very finely chopped fresh mint.
