Barbecues are a great way to entertain friends and family. You're not stuck in the kitchen away from all the fun, it doesn't matter if people turn up early or late, and if the weather's fine the eating and drinking can go on as long as you like. But what do you do if you are catering for someone with a food allergy?
Some allergies are more extreme than others - nut allergies can cause extremely severe, life threatening reactions, while other people's allergies may manifest as a slight rash or headache.
So how do you approach this? First, of course, you need to know about any food allergies. Anyone who suffers from a severe allergy will probably let you know so that any cross-contamination can be avoided - in fact if their allergy is serious, they may well avoid eating at your barbecue and bring their own food. It's worth asking for some recipe ideas too, as they will be expert at substituting ingredients in their favourite dishes, and know which brands are safe for them to eat.
Planning ahead is the key if you're catering for anyone with food allergies - if you're cooking for children, remember that they hate to be different, so be discreet about any variations in the menu - and if they have to bring their own food, encourage them to bring enough to share, so that they don't feel too conspicuous with their 'special' food.
Most guests with food allergies will ask about included ingredients if they are unsure what is in a barbecue sauce, for instance. Have packs and bottles on hand so that they can check labels, or make sure you can remember what ingredients you have used in homemade dishes.
If a guest has a severe allergy to nuts, the safest approach is not to have nuts anywhere near any of the food you are preparing. Check the labels of all pre-prepared food to ensure it is nut free. To be extra safe set up a small portable or disposable grill and use it to cook their food to avoid any possible contamination.
For other allergies there are always alternatives. If someone is allergic to cows' milk, you can use soya or rice milk or yogurt for dressings or marinades.
If a visitor is allergic to gluten you will need to buy gluten-free bread or cakes or use gluten-free flour to make your own.
Egg allergies mean homemade burgers will need to be formed without using eggs to bind them and you won't be able to use mayonnaise in pasta, potato or coleslaw salad. Consider using tomato- based dressings for pasta, crème fraiche for potato salad and yogurt for your coleslaw. Also check the packages of prepared products for ingredients. Pasta is usually made with egg so you'll have to look for an egg-free variety in the supermarket or health food shop. Wheat-free pasta is also available for anyone who cannot tolerate wheat.
Dealing with food allergies is simple if you use a bit of common sense and most people are very aware of products they should avoid, and they will often bring their own choice of foods anyway. I had a vegan friend who would take her own rice milk and spread whenever she visited friends as she didn't expect everyone to go out and buy special products just for her.
Pizzas are an unusual option for the barbecue, but are simple to make - and you can make a pizza base yourself, so that you know it has not been in contact with nuts. You can use gluten-free flour, if necessary and then choose appropriate toppings, so that those who cannot tolerate dairy products, or mushrooms, perhaps, can make up their own pizzas to suit themselves. Cook the pizza base directly on the grill until it is stiff, take off the grill, add your toppings and then pop the pizza back on the grill until the cheese (if used) is melting. Whizz up your own tomato sauce in a food processor with tinned or fresh tomatoes, garlic and herbs, so that you can tell your guests exactly what is in it.
Anyone who is allergic to tomatoes will often find themselves out of luck at a barbecue, where there are baked barbecue beans and barbecue sauces made with tomato ketchup on everything. Dry rubs are a great alternative that give meat such as ribs flavour - and there's nothing to stop other guests adding their own barbecue sauce afterwards. Brown sugar, chilli, garlic and onion powder plus salt and pepper, can be mixed together and rubbed over the ribs before cooking.
If mayonnaise-based potato salads are not an option, make a dressing of Dijon mustard, pepper, salt, dill, balsamic vinegar and olive oil to add to your cooked potatoes. Steamed asparagus and cubed chicken can also be mixed in.
A few more alternatives for foods that may cause allergies:
Butter: replace with vegetable oil or non-hydrogenated margarine.
Mayonnaise: Alternative ingredients to add moisture to burgers include hummus or mashed avocado.
Nuts: If you want to add texture to a salad for instance, try using small crunchy croutons instead.
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