Native flavoured skewers
This isn’t so much a recipe, as a set of techniques. It can easily be adapted for any dietary preference by adding and removing ingredients. The only real requirement is that the ingredients used must hold together when skewered and cooked.
Equipment
- Long skewers If using bamboo, skewers need to be soaked for a good hour beforehand. Metal skewers should be oiled before use.
Ingredients
- Veggies suitable for skewering and grilling For example: cherry tomato, eggplant, zucchini, capsicum, onion, spring onion, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, mushroom, brussel sprouts
- Meats and seafood suitable for skewering and grilling For example: meat and fish fillets in long strips or 2cm cubes. Whole prawns.
- Haloumi cheese or other good cooking cheese Cut into 2cm cubes.
- oil Olive oil, or any good cooking oil
- wine Optional. For use in marinades.
Native spice blends (can mix and match)
- Native Peppersalt Use with red or rose wine - mainly because the pepperberry will turn the marinade pink anyway.
- Lemon Anise Salt Use with white or rose wine.
- Desert Dust Use with any wine you like!
Instructions
- Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes beforehand.
- Cut all ingredients into cubes or florets roughly about 2cm a side. Meat can be cut into long thin strips if desired.
- Have bowls or containers large enough to hold your ingredients.
- In each container, mix about 1 tablespoon of oil, 1-2 tablespoons of a suitable wine, and about 1-2 teaspoons of infused salt or herb blends.
- Mix until salts dissolve and herbs are evenly distributed.
- Add ingredients into containers. For eg: * green veggies, haloumi, seafood, chicken, pork, with a Lemon Anise Salt marinade made with white wine* eggplant, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, red meats, with a Native Peppersalt marinade made with red wine
- Toss well to mix and cover. Leave at room temperature if possible.
- Marinate ingredients for 30mins. Don't leave for too long, or they get too salty.
- Thread ingredients on to skewers in the order that makes you happy. Hint: firm "grippy" ingredients such as haloumi, tomatoes and onion are good for stopping other ingredients from sliding off; add at either end.
- Complete all skewers before starting to cook.
- Grill or fry over a medium-high heat for as long as it takes for the meat to be cooked, and veggies to crisp at the edges.
- Use leftover marinades to brush the meat with while cooking, or make them into a sauce or gravy.
- Serve immediately with rice, greens, salads, and your drinks of choice.
Notes
Chopping the ingredients, making the marinades, deciding on flavours; get together with friends and make it a communal exercise!
Ensure the BBQ or grilling plates are hot before starting to cook.
Makes excellent leftovers.
Tags Vegetarian-friendly
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