The Australia and New Zealand Magazine in London has this month published a feature on the Great Australian barbeque down under. As part of the feature, Penelope Parkin interviewed me about my barbeque grilling tips as well as suggestions about barbequing steaks, seafood and vegetables. I also offer ideas for using native Australian rubs, seasonings and spices at your next barbeque.

Here were the barbecue tips which are as easy as opening a can of Foster’s.

• To give a tangy twist to steak, Benjamin recommends using a good barbecue rub such as Mountain Pepper BBQ sauce to tenderise the meat, although he generally prefers dry rubs for their more intense flavour. Wildfire Spice and Red Desert Dust (from selected supermarkets and delis) are unique allpurpose seasoning blends designed to be used as a dry rub for grilling or chargrilling, made from indigenous Australian herbs and spices; they are fantastic on barbecued ribs.
• For fish, such as the increasingly available barramundi (Waitrose) which can prove a tricky dish on the barbecue, Benjamin recommends using a medium heat until the flesh just separates when lifted with a knife.
  Salmon, trout or tuna, on the other hand, can be left cooked rare to medium. It’s also a good idea to season the fish with salt or pepper, or a seasoning rub; let the grill heat up for 20 minutes before cooking and oil it twice to ensure a non-stick coating. Seafood such as octopus, prawns, scallops and squid should be marinated and cooked on a high heat for a few minutes, like flash frying.

• The veggies also need to be just right. Our Antipodean friends might have gained a reputation for meat eating, but, believe me, they know how to cook their vegetables to perfection, too. For truly succulent veggies to accompany perfectly cooked meat, it’s a good idea to soak them in water for 30 minutes after washing and trimming them, to stop them drying out. Brushing them in oil with lemon juice and seasoning or a marinade is also a good idea.

• Hard vegetables can be cut into half-inch thick pieces and made into kebabs on skewers. Place the vegetables onto the warm part of the grill, turn them regularly and brush with oil while cooking. Once the skin begins to blister and the inside is soft (after five to 20 minutes), remove them from the barbecue.

The Australia and New Zealand Magazine is a glossy magazine for everyone who enjoys the Down Under way of life. It’s the only magazine on UK newstands dedicated to Australia and New Zealand, and is crammed with features on food, wine, culture, migration, property, travel, and reader’s real-life stories.

If you’re in London or around United Kingdom this month, make sure you grab a copy of the Australia and New Zealand Magazine. For more information on the Australia and New Zealand Magazine visit www.australiamagazine.co.uk