Barbecue sides

Jody-Anne Lawrence,  Staff Reporter

So it is summer and many of us have already accomplished the beach bodies and have put aside all the weight-loss plans and it is now time to enjoy the foods we love at a summertime BBQ. We have solicited the advice of two chefs to tell us the best side dishes to accompany those delicious grilled meats we know and love.

The following recipes are from Chef Orrin Beale, affectionately known as Chef Butch:

Potato Salad

INGREDIENTS

1lb Irish potatoes (diced)

1 tin green peas

1 tin corn

2 carrots (shredded)

Hard-boiled eggs (as desired)

2tsp sugar

Salt and black pepper (as desired)

METHOD

1. Boil diced potatoes for 25 to 30 minutes until firm to the bite, however, fork tender. Leave in water for three minutes. Eggs can be boiled at the same time or along with potatoes.

2. Drain potatoes and allow to cool.

3. Layer and mix ingredients.

Fusilli Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

4 packs fusilli pasta

10 medium tomatoes

2 shredded carrots

2 sliced sweet pepper (optional)

Pinch of salt, black pepper and Cajun spice (which can be replaced by sugar)

Mayonnaise

1 tin green peas and corn

METHOD

1. Boil pasta for eight to 10 minutes, then leave for three minutes in water.

2. Drain pasta and then allow it to cool.

3. Layer the mixture - pasta, mayonnaise, peppers, tomatoes and carrots, repeat until the ingredients are finished and then stir. Layering helps to have an even mixture instead of certain ingredients clumping together.

Chef Stephen Hamilton of Eskay Catering also gave us a few of his side-dish recipes:

ColeSlaw Medley

INGREDIENTS

1 head cabbage (shredded)

1 carrot (peeled and grated)

¹/² head purple cabbage (washed and shredded)

1 small pineapple

1 cup orange juice

¹/² lb of sugar

Black pepper and salt to taste

Mayonnaise (as desired)

METHOD

1. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, except orange juice and pineapple.

2. Blend pineapple and orange juice until puréed.

3. Add to the bowl and mix with mayonnaise.

4. Place in the refrigerator to cool.

Roast Corn

INGREDIENTS

2 corns on the cob

1 stalk scallion

1 sprig thyme

1 bunch parsley

2 pegs garlic

¹/² cup olive oil

Black pepper and salt to taste

METHOD

1. Preheat jerk pan.

2. Preboil corn for five minutes.

3. Combine all ingredients except corn and blend.

4. Rub mixture on corn.

5. Wrap in foil, grill all around until cooked.

Butter Cinnamon Baked Sweet Potato

INGREDIENTS

Butter (as desired)

1lb sweet potato

2tsp powdered cinnamon

3tsp cooking oil

METHOD

1. Preboil potato for five minutes.

2. Strain and place under running water to end the cooking process.

3. Preheat over at 350F.

4. Combine all ingredients, rub sweet potato.

5. Wrap into foil.

6. Bake for 10 minutes.