The sun is shining and the smell of incinerated sausage hangs over the suburbs: yes, barbecue season is upon us! Sadly the prospect of a barbecue is often less enthralling for vegetarians than it is for our carnivorous friends. While they're gorging on hunks of charred flesh we'll most likely be chewing some bland imitation meat product or other. But with a bit of imagination we can share in the thrill of outdoor cookery. I spent a sun-drenched weekend drinking beer in the garden while testing these ideas for al fresco cuisine to delight vegetarians and vegetable lovers alike. Oh, the sacrifices I make!

• Those big breakfast mushrooms are a great alternative to the dreaded soya burger. Buy the biggest ones you can find because they will shrink quite a lot when cooked. Marinate them in barbecue sauce for a few hours before putting them on the barbecue, and apply liberal quantities of sauce while cooking. If you can be bothered to peel them before marinating they will absorb more flavour. Serve in a bap with the usual burger trimmings.
• Vegetable kebabs are an old favourite. You can just put a load of veg in a bowl and provide skewers for people to make their own. I recommend large chunks of red onion, peppers and courgette and whole mushrooms. Good with salad and pitta bread.
• Aubergines are just crying out to be barbecued. Cut an aubergine lengthways into slices about a centimetre thick. Rub a little olive oil into each side and sprinkle with coarsely ground salt and pepper. Cook until they are golden brown and have those lovely black lines on both sides. Eat just as they are or in a ciabatta roll with some salad and mayonnaise. Heavenly.
• It may not be the healthiest option, but barbecued halloumi is to die for. Halloumi is the ultimate grilling cheese: it will hold its shape and cooking really brings out it's flavour. I used to add chunks of it to kebabs but it often splits on the skewer and ends up in the flames: it's much easier to just cut it into slices and put it straight on the grill. Cook each side until golden-brown. You don't need to add anything to it, though a splash of balsamic vinegar goes nicely.