Cooking

Summer's perfect pair: BBQ & Batch Cooking

We spend the whole year with weekly meal planning (or in Spain, what is known as batch cooking), but when summer comes we tend to improvise more.

You already know that at my home we really like cooking, but if we don't feel like working, it’s great to have some leftovers to throw something together easily.

I don't know if this happens to you, but with the summer heat, many times the lethargy or the desire to refresh ourselves wins over hunger. In general, we usually drink more liquids and that can satiate us even if it is just water. Hydrating well is very healthy, but it is still necessary to eat properly.

So at home we continue with our weekly meal planning. Maybe not so much day to day, but we do try to have half-cooked or ready-to-serve dishes. For this, the barbecue is the perfect tool, it will help you succeed in having a few easy meals on hand.

Every time we go to the garden and harvest the summer vegetables, we come home and light the barbecue. Once we light the charcoal, the vegetables make themselves. Just like how in winter we throw things in the oven to jazz up the dishes of the week, in the summer we use the barbecue to add a little something special. In addition to avoiding heating up your home, the barbecue gives our vegetables a smokiness that is amazing.

In each batch we usually roast aubergines, capsicums (peppers), onions, leeks, zucchini, potatoes, and of course tomatoes. Once they have been cooked on the coals, we store them in airtight containers and in the fridge. We can use them as a base for salads, adding fresh dressings. They will also be used to make cold creamy soups (or hot soups for those who dare) and even in our sandwiches when we go to the beach.

And the fruits? Well yes, also fruits! Right now we are harvesting red plums and you can't imagine how rich and delicious they are, grilled and served with yoghurt for our morning breakfasts.

I highly recommend that if you are not using the grill, to have a go and take advantage of it to enjoy the summer to the fullest, cooking enough in one go to last you the whole week.