Simon Rhodes, of the fishmongers in Wood Street Food Hall, Swindon

IT IS now officially the start of the outdoor season which means long walks, cycling in shorts, festivals, and most importantly al fresco drinking and dining.

A couple of years ago I was asked to talk about barbecued fish on Radio Berkshire. This proved to be a bit of a shock because also on the programme was a representative of Weber BBQ, whose knowledge of outdoor dining put me to shame.

However, after the show I was so inspired by what could be achieved on a barbecue that I managed to persuade my wife that we needed a top notch outdoor cooking facility. Mine is sparked up as soon as there is a break in the clouds and has seen many a memorable meal including one of our best Christmas dinners ever.

The secret of a great barbecue is making sure you use good quality charcoal. This obviously doesn’t apply to gas barbecue aficionados who come from another planet! Make sure the coals are white hot and that the temperature is manageable, otherwise the flames and smoke can spoil the food. You can slow roast or cook a large joint of meat by simply placing it to one side of the coals so it is not subject to direct heat. Steaks are perfect for cooking directly over the coals as the chargrilled effect brings out the best flavour of the beef.

Although most of us cook the usual chicken, sausages and burgers, the most amazing and quickest thing to cook is fish. In Greece they adore the dorade, which we know as gilt head bream. This meaty fish responds well to direct heat and has a sweet flavour, ideal with pepper spiced rice. Salmon is another great fish on the barbecue, cooked on foil and placed on a bed of herbs. For something a little special try placing some smoking chips soaked in water on the coals as this will give a wonderful aroma to the fish and enhance the flavour.

If you want a bigger, meatier flavour we have superb swordfish in stock. This is becoming very popular and has the consistency of chicken and is not overly fishy. It’s great with a good fresh salsa.

To prevent the fish or meat sticking to the grills always put a little oil on a cloth or kitchen towel and wipe the grills when they are hot. It is safer to use tongs because of the heat. Don’t be tempted to turn the food too quickly as this can also lead to it sticking to the grills.

One very important thing to remember is never, ever mention that you are having a barbecue as this will upset the weather gods — and we all know what that means!