Featuring more than 125 classic and contemporary recipes with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients, Alfresco provides everything you need to cook, serve, and enjoy meals outdoors. Designed with the relaxed charm of outdoor living in mind, the book includes recipes for easy-to-eat and shareable appetizers (from skewers and flatbreads to crowd-pleasers like paella), backyard favourites (including grilled pizzas, whole grilled fish, and next-level burgers), and playful desserts (such as boozy ice cream floats and chai-smoked pineapple).

Whether you’re planning a laid-back weekend lunch or a lively evening gathering, the recipes are crafted to be as approachable as they are impressive.

Perfect for casual family dinners or festive gatherings, Alfresco helps home cooks make the most of spring, summer, and fall produce while offering smart menu-planning tips, time-saving prep strategies, and creative ways to use your grill or firepit.

Many of the dishes are designed to be made ahead or cooked in large batches, freeing up more time to enjoy with guests.

It also includes expert entertaining advice, from serving food safely outdoors to making big-batch cocktails and snacks with ease. Throughout the book, vibrant food photography and seasonal tablescape ideas offer plenty of visual inspiration for making every outdoor meal feel like a celebration.

From rustic camp-style meals to elegant garden-party spreads, this cookbook encourages creativity and connection around the table.

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Bacon Burgers with Grilled Onions & Roasted Tomato Dressing

These burgers have all the toppings you’d ever want to create the ultimate burger. But burger toppings are personal, so feel free to add or subtract toppings you like or don’t like. The most important thing is to choose the best-quality ground beef and to be gentle when preparing the patties so you don’t compress the meat.

Makes 6 servings

GRILLED ONIONS

2 yellow onions, cut into ¼-inch-thick (6-mm-thick) slices

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

½ teaspoon sugar

 

2 lb (1 kg) ground beef chuck

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

6 large slices Cheddar or American cheese (optional)

6 hamburger buns, split

Roasted Tomato Dressing (See below)

12 slices crisp fried bacon

Butter or red leaf lettuce leaves, torn

To make the onions, prepare a gas or charcoal grill for direct and indirect grilling over medium-high heat (400°–450°F/200°–230°C). Brush the grill grate clean. Brush the onion slices with the olive oil. Put them on the grate directly over the heat and cook, turning once, until deeply grill marked, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the onion slices to a large piece of aluminium foil and season with ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and the sugar. Fold the foil over the onions, crimp and seal the foil to make a pouch, and put the pouch on the grate away from the heat. Cook until tender, 15–20 minutes. Set aside while you make the burgers.

In a bowl, combine the beef, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of pepper and mix with your hands until well blended; do not overmix. Using your hands, gently form the meat into 6 patties no more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.

Place the patties on the grate directly over the heat, cover the grill, and cook for 7 minutes, turning the burgers after about 4 minutes for medium. They should be slightly pink at the center. If you are making cheeseburgers, put cheese slices on each burger 1 minute before the burgers are ready to be removed from the grill.

To toast the buns, place them, cut side down, on the grate over the heat 1 minute before the burgers are ready. Transfer the burgers and buns to a platter, keeping them separate.

To serve, spread the cut sides of the buns with the roasted tomato dressing. Top the bottom bun with a burger patty, then top with the grilled onions, bacon, and lettuce, in that order. Top with the top bun and serve at once.

 

ROASTED TOMATO DRESSING

Makes about 1 cup (8 fl oz/240 ml)

1 lb (450 g) ripe plum tomatoes, cored and quartered lengthwise

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 tablespoons (2½ fl oz/75 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the tomatoes and garlic, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and toss to coat evenly. Spread the tomatoes in a single layer on the pan and sprinkle with a little salt. Roast the tomatoes until softened and slightly shrivelled, about 30 minutes.

Recipe published with permission from Weldon Owen.