Can I make the curry butter in advance?

Yes. Once blended, cool the curry butter and freeze it for up to 3 months. It is worth making a big batch, as it works on steaks, fish and other vegetables too.

How hot should Charlie be to char gem lettuce?

Run it up to 250°C (480°F) with a wide bed of lumpwood charcoal, using half a football. Char the lettuce quarters on the Charlie Oven Cooking Rack on the lower rack until charred and softened.

How much char should the lettuce have?

Plenty. Aim for a good blackened edge on each quarter while the centre stays crisp. Use tongs to turn the lettuce over the hot charcoal, then baste with melted curry butter and serve straight away.

How do I get a smoky flavour into the curry butter?

Char the 2 red chillies directly on the charcoal until blackened before blending them into the butter. They join the fried curry leaves, roasted garlic, lime juice and fish sauce for a smoky, fragrant butter.

Outdoor Cooking & Charcoal Oven Recipes / Roast

Baby gem lettuce grilled in the Charlie Oven with curry butter

Cooked in the Charlie Charcoal Oven

Roasted Gem Lettuce with Curry Butter

Name: Roasted Gem Lettuce with Curry Butter
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4 to 6
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 gem lettuce, quartered; 2 sprigs curry leaves; 200g soft butter, Makes a batch of curry butter; use 40g of the finished butter for the eight lettuce quarters and reserve the remainder; 1 bulb roasted garlic, pulped; 2 red chillies; 2 limes, juiced; 2 tbsp fish sauce

Gem lettuce can take the heat. Charred edges catch curry leaf butter flavoured with roasted garlic, chilli, lime and fish sauce. A short cook in Charlie turns a familiar salad ingredient into a warm, savoury side.

Chris TaylorFire cook and author

Roast

Prep10 minutes

Cook30 minutes

Serves4 to 6

DifficultyMedium

Oven temperature250°C (480°F)

RackCharlie Oven Cooking Rack on the lower rack, for direct charring

CharcoalHalf a football of good quality lumpwood charcoal, in a wide bed for charring at 250°C (480°F)

Ingredients

2 gem lettuce, quartered
2 sprigs curry leaves
200g soft butter, Makes a batch of curry butter; use 40g of the finished butter for the eight lettuce quarters and reserve the remainder
1 bulb roasted garlic, pulped
2 red chillies
2 limes, juiced
2 tbsp fish sauce

Equipment

Everything used in this recipe. Already have Charlie? Add the accessories in one go.

Charlie Charcoal Oven£5,950.00Choose your oven, Charlie Charcoal Oven
Charlie Oven Cooking Rack£280.00
Charlie Oven Tongs 55cm£40.00
Stag British Premium Lumpwood Charcoal£96.50

Method

Setting up Charlie

Light a wide bed of half a football of Stag British Ash Charcoal
Run the Charlie Oven up to 250°C (480°F) for high heat charring
Place the cooking rack in the lower position close to the charcoal for direct charring of the lettuce and chillies

Light a wide charcoal bed and run the Charlie Oven up to 250°C (480°F). Char the lettuce quarters over high heat in the lower part of the oven until charred and softened.
Char the chillies directly on the charcoal until blackened.
Fry the curry leaves in the butter until golden and aromatic.
Leave to cool for a couple of minutes, then blend with the chillies, garlic, curry leaves, lime juice and fish sauce. You can cool the butter and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Melt 40g of the finished curry butter in a frying pan and baste the eight charred lettuce quarters. Reserve the remaining butter for another cook. Serve the lettuce immediately.

Tips

The curry butter freezes brilliantly for up to 3 months, so make a big batch and use it on steaks, fish, or vegetables
Char the chillies directly on the coals for the best smoky flavour
Don't be shy with the char on the lettuce: you want a good blackened edge while keeping the centre crisp
Use Charlie Oven Tongs to handle the lettuce and chillies over the hot charcoal

More recipes

The cook

Chris Taylor

Fire cook and author

Chris "Chops" Taylor worked as a home economist on MasterChef before turning to fire cooking, and has co-written Fire Feasts and Backyard Baking with DJ BBQ. He co-founded Whittle and Flame charcoal and has taught steak and fire cooking masterclasses on Charlie.

More recipes by Chris Taylor

Frequently asked questions

Can I make the curry butter in advance?

Yes. Once blended, cool the curry butter and freeze it for up to 3 months. It is worth making a big batch, as it works on steaks, fish and other vegetables too.
How hot should Charlie be to char gem lettuce?

Run it up to 250°C (480°F) with a wide bed of lumpwood charcoal, using half a football. Char the lettuce quarters on the Charlie Oven Cooking Rack on the lower rack until charred and softened.
How much char should the lettuce have?

Plenty. Aim for a good blackened edge on each quarter while the centre stays crisp. Use tongs to turn the lettuce over the hot charcoal, then baste with melted curry butter and serve straight away.
How do I get a smoky flavour into the curry butter?

Char the 2 red chillies directly on the charcoal until blackened before blending them into the butter. They join the fried curry leaves, roasted garlic, lime juice and fish sauce for a smoky, fragrant butter.