Nico Reynolds’ salmon kebabs, grilled halloumi, and ribeye steaks with fennel salad
The Irish chef shares some of the barbecue dishes he will be cooking on his new TV series All Fired Up, which comes to RTÉ in June
Halloumi with avocado dipping sauce
Ingredients, serves two
1 block of halloumi
1 lemon
Basil and mint, to garnish
For the avocado sauce
3 jalapeños
5 spring onions
Handful of coriander
Handful of dill
50ml mayo
Drizzle of olive oil
2 ripe avocados, mashed
Juice of two limes
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
1. Heat your grill or barbecue to a medium/high heat.
2. Slice the halloumi into slabs that are a quarter to a half inch thick, then place the slices directly onto the grill.
3. Grill the slices for about three minutes per side, until the cheese is lightly browned on the outside, and warm and soft through the middle. Garnish the cheese slices with wedges of lemon, and fresh herbs such as chopped mint or basil.
4. To make the dipping sauce, finely dice the spring onions, coriander, dill and jalapeños, removing the seeds from the latter if you prefer a milder sauce.
5. Mash the avocados, then mix them and all the other sauce ingredients together in a bowl, then serve with the halloumi.
Easy grilled salmon two ways
Ingredients, serves two
For the skinned salmon
2 skinless salmon fillets
2 oranges, sliced
2 lemons, sliced
For the salmon kebabs
2 salmon fillets, cut into 2 inch cubes
Bunch of cherry tomatoes on the vine
For the caper salad
3 tbsp capers
3 tbsp caper water (from the jar)
Handful of dill
Handful of parsley
Juice of one lemon
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
1. To make the skinless salmon, first season the fish with salt and pepper.
2. Layer the orange and lemon slices on a baking tray to create a bed for the fish. Place the salmon onto the citrus slices, then grill on a low heat for eight to twelve minutes.
3. If you are using wooden skewers for the salmon kebabs, soak them in water to stop them burning on your barbecue. Slide the salmon cubes onto the skewers, then grill over a medium to high heat for five to seven minutes, turning frequently - if you rub a cut lemon over the grill before you start, it will stop the fish from sticking.
4. Place the cherry tomatoes straight onto the grill and roast for five to seven minutes.
5. To make the caper salad, finely chop the parsley and dill and place in a bowl. Roughly chop the capers and add to the bowl. Add the caper water, juice of one lemon and the extra virgin olive oil, then mix well.
6. Serve the fish with the roast tomatoes on the side and a generous spoonful of salsa drizzled over the top.
Perfect grilled steak with fennel salad and butter Parmesan corn
Ingredients, serves two
For the steak
2 ribeye steaks
Flaky sea salt
Black pepper
Knob of butter
1-2 anchovies
1 lemon
For the fennel salad
2 fennel bulbs
5 radishes
2 handfuls baby spinach, chopped
50g Parmesan, grated
Handful of chopped parsley
For the salad dressing
1 red onion, finely diced
1 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
Handful of dill, chopped
Juice of one lemon
Drizzle of olive oil
1 tbsp honey
For the corn
2 corn on the cob
Generous knob of butter
Coriander, finely chopped
30-50g Parmesan, grated
Method
1. Take the steak out of the fridge half an hour before cooking. Pat dry, then season generously with salt and cracked black pepper.
2. Sear the steak over a high heat until it’s caramelised on all sides. Leave it to sit on the indirect side of the grill until it is just below your desired temperature on a meat thermometer: 53C to 55C for medium rare, 71C is well done.
3. Remove the steaks from the heat and leave to rest for no less than five minutes, and no more than ten.
4. In a skillet over the barbecue melt a big knob of butter and mix with chopped anchovy and a squeeze of lemon. Pour half of it over the resting steak. Slice up the steak, then combine it with the rest of the butter mix.
5. Sear the corn over a high heat until nicely charred - this should take between ten and twelve minutes. Smear with butter.
6. Place the grated Parmesan and chopped coriander on a board, then roll the corn in the cheese/herb mix.
7. To make the fennel salad, first combine all the salad dressing ingredients together in a bowl. Thinly slice the fennel and radishes, mix with the dressing, then allow to sit for five minutes. Just before serving, top with the chopped baby spinach, parsley and Parmesan, then serve everything on a large, communal plate.
Chocolate brownie with grilled strawberries
Ingredients, serves two
For the brownie
175g butter
50g dried mango and pineapple - or any dried fruit - chopped into smaller pieces
100g coconut flour
3 eggs
100ml milk
100g cocoa powder
Pinch of sea salt
100g brown sugar
For the strawberries
4 to 5 strawberries per person
Caster sugar
Black pepper
Method
1. To make the brownie, first melt the butter. Add the dried fruits to the melted butter to rehydrate them.
2. Add the sugar to the butter and fruit mix, before whisking in the eggs and adding the milk. Sieve in the flour and the cocoa powder and fold to combine.
3. Lightly butter the bottom of a small cast iron skillet or oven-proof pan. Pour the ingredients into the pan and shake to flatten down.
5. Cook on over a medium heat with the lid on for about 35 mins, or until you can poke the brownie with a tooth pick and it comes out clean.
6. Cover the strawberries in caster sugar and sprinkle with black pepper. Thread onto skewers and cook over indirect heat, turning frequently until slightly charred - this should take around ten minutes. Serve the brownies topped with a strawberry skewer.
All Fired Up starts on RTÉ One on June 14 at 7pm