Sweet potato – on the barbecue.

Sweet potato – steamed and barbecued.

I don’t know about you but I often find that a barbecue can be a little meat heavy. Now don’t get me wrong, I am one of the most carnivorous people I know but I am sure that if you don’t use your barbecue to cook vegetables too you are missing so many delicious dishes you could be enjoying. Having a flat top on my BBQ does mean I’m fortunate enough to griddle vegetables, stir fry them or simply cook flatbreads until they bubble and blister. I do also love to use foil pouches to steam parcels of seasonal vegetables in their own juices, or a little white wine, whichever you prefer.

Baby potatoes with a knob of butter, a squeeze of lemon and plenty of black pepper is always a success, small carrots with a splash of water, butter and a sprinkle of sugar are delicious as are sugar snaps. Today i thought I’d try sweet potatoes.

Ingredients feeds 4

1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes

1 large slug of olive oil

salt , pepper and paprika to dust

splash of white wine

How to

• Pre heat the bbq.
• Take meter or so of foil. Fold in half and lay on the work surface.
• Peel and dice the sweet potato into about 1″ chunks.
• Place onto the foil, drizzle with the olive oil and season well.

Seasoned and waiting to be steamed.

• Now fold the foil in half again to form a pillow containing the sweet potato. Fold in the edges carefully as you want the parcel to be air tight.
• Before you seal the final edge splash in the wine, stock or even water that will create the steam to cookthese sweet potato chunks.

Waiting for a splash of wine.

• Seal the final edge and place the parcel on the bbq for 8 minutes.
• Turn the parcel over and cook for a further 8 minutes.

On the BBQ.

• Remove from the heat and make a slit in the top of the foil to allow the excess steam to escape. This is hot so be careful. Test to make sure the sweet potato is soft and cooked thorugh, if not return to steam for a few minutes longer.
• Serve with anything you fancy.

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