Who doesn’t love barbecue? It’s fun to have family members and friends round for a barbecued dinner. But be extra careful, because according to studies, barbecued meat exposes us to carcinogens called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). They form on foods while barbecuing, or under high heat of the grill. Another substance called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) forms when fat drips onto the heat source, creating flare-ups and smoke that then deposits on the the barbecued food. To avoid these, simply place your meat under wraps of foil packets

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 8 portions of one chicken
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 3 tbsp brown fruity sauce
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp clear honey
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic,crushed
• salad leaves, to serve

1. Remove the skin from the chicken if you want to reduce the fat in the dish.
2. To make the barbecue glaze, place the tomato puree, brown fruity sauce, vinegar, honey, oil and garlic in a small bowl. Stir all of the ingredients together until they are thoroughly blended.
3. Brush the barbecue glaze over the chicken. Loosely wrap the glazed chicken and barbecue over hot coals for 15 to 20 minutes. The the chicken portions over occasionally.
4. Transfer the barbecued chicken to warm serving plates and serve with a selection of fresh salad leaves.

“When poultry is cooked over a very hot barbecue the heat immediately seals in all of the juices, leaving the meat succulent. For this reason you must make sure that the coals are hot enough before starting to barbecue.”

Fish is low in fat, high in protein and an excellent source of omega 3 fatty acids. Eating one or two serves of fish weekly can reduce the risk of a range of diseases, from childhood asthma to prostate cancer. Chilli fish soup makes an excellent starter.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 15 g Chinese dried mushrooms
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 100 g mangetout
• 100 g bamboo shoots
• 3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1.2 liters fish or vegetable stock
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fresh coriander
• 450 g cod fillet, skinned and cubed

1. Place the mushrooms in a large bowl. Pour over enough boiling water to cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Drain the mushrooms thoroughly. Using a sharp knife, roughly chop the mushrooms.
2. Heat the sunflower oil in a preheated wok. Add the onion to the wok and stir fry for 5 minutes, or until softened.
3. Add the mangetout, bamboo shoots, chilli sauce, stock and soy sauce to the wok and bring to the boil.
4. Add coriander and cubed fish to the wok. Leave to simmer for 5 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.
5. Transfer the soup to warm bowls, garnish with extra coriander if wished and serve hot.

“There are many different varieties of dried mushrooms, but shiitake are best. Cod is used in this recipe as it is a meaty white fish. For real luxury, use monkfish tail instead.”

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 4 ripe medium bananas
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 115 g caster sugar
• 4 tbsp cold water
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 150 ml low fat natural fromage frais
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• lemon and lime rind, shredded, to decorate

1. Peel the bananas and cut into 5 cm pieces. Place the bananas in a bowl, spoon over the lemon juice and stir well to coat. This will prevent the bananas from discoloring.
2. Place the sugar and water in a small pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until the mixture caramelizes.
3. Drain the bananas and blot with absorbent kitchen paper to dry. Line a baking sheet or board with parchment and arrange the bananas, well spaced out, on top.
4. Dizzle the caramel over the bananas, working quickly because the caramel sets almost instantly. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and leave to cool for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, mix the fromage frais with the icing sugar and vanilla essence.
6. Peel the bananas away from the paper and arrange on serving plates. Serve the fromage frais as a dip, decorate with the lemon and lime rind.

“For best results, use a cannelle knife or a potato peeler to peel away thin strips of rind from the fruit, taking care not to include any bitter pith. Blanch the shreds in boiling water for 1 minute, then refresh in cold water.”