It's officially time to get your barbecue out of the shed ready for a good pounding this summer. To get you off to a great start, I've come up with a selection of fresh and fragrant barbecue recipes that are perfect for entertaining friends outdoors. Not only are they a cinch to make, you can prepare them all in advance, so all you have to do is light a match shortly before guests arrive.

First things first, though. A few basics: your guests won't want to watch you struggle with firelighters when they're hungry, so allow charcoal to preheat a good 40 minutes before you want to start cooking, and let the flames die right down to an ashy glow.

I tend to use a gas barbecue which I preheat for 10 minutes, and then turn down to prevent the food from burning.

And if it rains, you can always use a large griddle pan indoors; just make sure it's almost smoking before you start griddling.

Next, avoid prodding the meat that you are barbecuing as this will encourage the juices to leak and the meat to dry out. And try not to move things about too much either. Not only will this prevent food from caramelising on the outside, you're more likely to run the risk of not cooking the food through properly. Also, take care not to brush foods with oil on the barbecue as this may cause flare-ups; brush them beforehand. You may have noticed that vegetables have a tendency to burn before they cook through, but cutting everything the same size and thickness should help.

Don't be afraid to experiment with food for the barbecue, either. As long as the barbecue is at the right temperature, the choices are endless. Why not try cooking a whole joint of meat, such as a butterflied leg of lamb? And if you want something really special, what about grilling lobster or langoustines? You can also vary your repertoire simply by making your own marinades and dips — it's often those little extras that make a massive difference.

Finally, much as I love barbecues, I never understand why people happily accept cremated sausages and drumsticks. I just don't get it — it must be the booze. But you wouldn't get plastered and then tackle the Sunday lunch, would you? So my last, and probably most important, tip for those in charge of the tongs is to limit the beers until you have everything under control.

Chicken burgers with brioche buns

Serves 6

You can ask your butcher to mince the thigh meat for you or use a domestic food grinder. Alternatively, finely chop the meat then whiz in a food processor. Make sure you cook the burgers all the way through.

20g dried porcini mushrooms

1 tbsp olive oil

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