Our favourite BBQ Marinades & Party Pieces

This is a great set of instant (or easy to prepare) marinades that are perfect for the barbecue. As we are campers, sailors and canoeists, they had to be simple and easy to do in the great outdoors. That said, they are also perfect for preparing festive party food indoors.

Delia calls this her Medieval Marinade as it features three ingredients likely to have been found in medieval England - lavender (a favourite medieval herb), a strong English mustard and local honey. It takes seconds to mix and is wonderfully tasty - an absolute doddle for last-minute barbecues. Ingredients: 1 tablespoon (15ml) Runny Honey 1 tablespoon (15ml) Three Counties Gourmet 'Boozy English Mustard' 1 tablespoon (15ml) food-grade Dried Lavender Flowers

Combine the ingredients well and then marinate the fish, vegetables or meat for up to 3 hours before cooking.

Delia says: The honey is not only nutritious, it also stops the meat, fish or vegetables charring. If you prefer a less sweet marinade, try my mediterranean one.

The lavender MUST be food-grade (otherwise it may have been sprayed with nasty chemicals). You can buy it from us as it can be quite difficult to get hold of. See our Cooking with Lavender section for more information.

This lovely marinade is our is really easy to make and much better than the processed shop-bought ones - bringing nostalgic memories of tuscan hills and rolling olive groves. Ingredients: 1-2 tablespoons (15-30ml) Tomato Purée 1 tablespoon (15ml) Three Counties Gourmet 'Boozy English Mustard' 1 tablespoon (15ml) Rosemary & Garlic Balsamic Vinegar 1 tablespoon (15ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil (optional)

Mix the tomato purée with the mustard, vinegar and oil until all ingredients are combined. Marinade meat, fish or vegetables for up to 3 hours before cooking.

Delia says: I like the flavour of extra virgin olive oil in this particular marinade, but there are some very good local rapeseed oils if you want to reduce your food miles.

When we are camping, we pour the marinade into a plastic bag, add the meat fish or vegetables and seal. That way we can easily toss the ingredients in the marinade and leave in a cool place until we are ready to cook them. At home, we use a bowl to save waste as it's better for the environment, but when water is at a premium this is a clever alternative. Cook whole pieces, such as chicken breasts butterflied straight onto the grillpan, for smaller pieces string on to kebab sticks. Fish is best cooked in a fish mesh to avoid it sticking and disintegrating on the barbecue. Superquick Chicken & Beef Fajitas: Diced Chicken & Rump Steak 2 tablespoons (30ml) Three Counties Gourmet 'Chilli Oil' 1 Red Pepper 1 Green Pepper 1 Onion Marinade the meat and vegetables in the Chilli Oil. Thread onto kebab skewers and barbecue until cooked. Serve in warm tortillas with some fresh grated cheddar, salsa dip and a dollop of soured cream. Superquick Fish or Chicken Skewers: Diced Salmon & Monkfish or Diced Chicken 2 tablespoons (30ml) Three Counties Gourmet 'Dill & Mustard Sauce' 1 Green Pepper Mushrooms 1 Onion Marinade the meat and vegetables in the Dill & Mustard Sauce. Thread onto kebab skewers and barbecue until cooked. Serve with warm couscous or spiced quinoa and natural yoghurt. Superquick Mediterranean Vegetable Kebabs: 2 tablespoons (30ml) Three Counties Gourmet 'Rosemary & Garlic Balsamic Vinegar' 1 Aubergine 1 Courgette 1 Red Pepper 1 Green Pepper Mushrooms 1 Onion Marinade the diced vegetablesmeat and vegetables in the Rosemary & Garlic Balsamic Vinegar. (If you are barbecuing you will want to add a little olive oil to avoid the skewers sticking to the grill). Thread onto kebab skewers and barbecue or roast until cooked. Serve with basil couscous and a fresh tzatsiki or tomato salsa. Superquick Fruity Salmon or Chicken: Salmon Fillets or Chicken Breast Fillets 2-3 tablespoons (30-45ml) Three Counties Gourmet 'Mango, Apple & Perry Chutney' Marinade the salmon or chicken in the Mango, Apple & Perry Chutney. Barbecue or roast until cooked. Serve with fragrant jasmine rice and crème fraîche mixed with lime zest and finely sliced spring onion. If you want to do this as a kebab skewer, then add rounds of leek and some apricots or peach slices.

Delia says: Although these marinades were designed for barbecuing and cooking in the great outdoors with the minimum of fuss, they work just as well at home or if rain threatens to spoil. Just roast or grill instead.

Our Dill & Mustard Sauce is incredibly versatile. As well as an instant marinade, it also makes a great dip if mixed with either mayonnaise or crème fraîche. Similarly, our Champagne Mustard makes a wonderful crème fraîche dip for smoked salmon or on the side of fresh summer salads.

© Delia Swift (February 2011)