Asparagus cooks beautifully on the barbecue and when combined with smoky barbecued halloumi cheese and a tangy caper and lemon dressing it makes a stylish summer starter. Choose firm asparagus spears avoiding any than look wilted and snap off the tough 5cm base of each stalk. It’s best to cook the asparagus on a foil tray to avoid it slipping through the grill but if you are careful you can cook it directly on the barbecue. Place the spears on the cooler edges of the barbecue and turn frequently to prevent it from burning.
Ingredients
- 4tbsp olive oil
- 2tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 600g fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
- 2tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 2tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 250g halloumi cheese, thickly sliced
- Few slices of lemon
Method
Mix together the olive oil and lemon juice and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the asparagus in a shallow dish and pour over half of the dressing. Add the capers and parsley to the remaining dressing and set aside.
Place a thin foil tray on the hottest part of the barbecue and lay the asparagus spears in the tray. Cook for 10-12mins, turning occasionally until just tender.
Place the halloumi and lemon slices on the cooler edges of the barbecue and cook for 1-2mins on each side until just lightly charred.
Serve the asparagus topped with the halloumi slices. Whisk the dressing and spoon over the asparagus and cheese. Garnish with the lemon slices.
Top tip for making BBQ asparagus with halloumi
If it’s not barbecue weather cook the asparagus on a hot cast iron griddle pan and grill the halloumi cheese.
