A good sausage doesn’t need much adornment, keep it nice and simple

This little shelter means I can technically grill all year round without the need for an umbrella. For me the essence of relaxation is grilling over hot coals with a glass of something cold in my hand. In recent times I’ve become so preoccupied with not cooking sausages on the barbecue that I actually forgot how good they are when you do! Sometimes it’s the classics that are the best. A good sausage doesn’t need much adornment but the recipe here celebrates its perfect matching with onion.

Sausage and onion gravy in winter is the ultimate comfort food. Here the onion takes two forms. Burren Balsamics is a company based in Richhill that infuses the vinegars of Modena in Italy with local products. Their Bramley apple vinegar has won a multitude of awards but their roast onion version is also well worth sussing out. It really lifts a roast beef gravy or brush steaks with it to season. Here the vinegar is whisked with honey and a little soy to brush over the sausages and elevate them to new heights. For added onion oomph place onion halves on a skewer and as you grill brush with the same glaze. Sausage and onions, the kiss of smoky coal – the perfect outside dish for summer. Comber Early potatoes are in full flow now. Their season is limited so make the most of them. Here the potatoes are tossed in a brown butter dressing that has a hint of horseradish, mustard and scallions. Perfect to have with the sausages.

The potato salad would work well with my other recipe this week – sticky beef ribs with a beetroot and celeriac slaw. Beef ribs have become very popular as a slow cooked dish. Here they’re marinated in a blend of tinned tomatoes with many aromats. I’ve added a good glug of whiskey to the recipe but feel free to substitute apple juice. The ribs are slow cooked in the marinade and then finished on the barbecue. The cooking juices are boiled to make them extra sticky and to brush over the ribs as they are grilled. They take about three hours in the oven but a few minutes on the grill will do the trick. The slaw contains beetroot and celeriac which always go well with beef. I’d also suggest some rolls to mop up any sauce on the plate….

The good thing about these recipes is they’re not weather dependent. You could finish the ribs in a hot grill pan to caramelize them and the same for the sausages. With the onion kebabs – start them on the grill pan then transfer to the oven, and glaze frequently. But, like the Comber Earlies, if the sun is only here for a short time make the most of it.