Stick with the plan – skewer recipes for brilliant barbecues

Photographs Robert Billington

Prop styling Luis Peral; food styling Emily Ezekiel

Lara Lee

Sweet, sour and salty marinated chicken thighs served with creamy spiced peanut sauce and tangy cucumber pickle is a recipe my grandmother and father have cooked for as long as I can remember. A barbecue gives the satay skewers an unbeatable smoky char, but a griddle or large frying pan will also do the trick.

If using wooden skewers, you’ll need 8-12, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes first, so they do not burn during cooking.

Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a starter

boneless chicken thighs 400g, skin removed, cut into 2cm dice
coconut oil or sunflower oil 2 tbsp
peanut sauce 1 quantity (see below)
cucumber, chilli and shallot pickle 1 quantity (see below)
kerupuk or prawn crackers to serve

For the marinade
lime zest of 1
kecap manis 3 tbsp
salt ¼ tsp
ground black pepper ¼ tsp

For the glaze
kecap manis 3 tbsp
lime juice of ½

For the peanut sauce

sunflower oil 150ml, plus 1 tbsp
unsalted raw peanuts 75g, preferably with their skin on, or 75g unsweetened, unsalted
smooth peanut butter
long red chillies 2, deseeded and very finely chopped
garlic 1 clove, peeled and crushed
kecap manis 4 tsp, or more to taste
tamarind paste 2 tsp, or 2 tsp lime juice mixed with 2 tsp brown sugar
sea salt a large pinch

For the cucumber chilli shallot pickle
rice vinegar 100ml, or white wine vinegar
caster sugar 100g
sea salt 1-2 tsp, to taste
cucumber ⅓, halved lengthways
banana shallots 2 small, or 4 Thai shallots, peeled and very thinly sliced
long red chilli 1, thinly sliced on the diagonal (deseeded if you prefer less heat)

To make the peanut sauce, heat the sunflower oil to 160C in a deep saucepan over a high heat. (If you do not have a kitchen thermometer, check the oil is at temperature by adding a cube of bread; it should turn golden in 25-30 seconds.) Carefully lower the peanuts into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Stirring continuously, as peanuts can easily burn, fry for 4-5 minutes until golden. Remove the peanuts from the pan and transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.

Heat the 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the red chillies and garlic, and fry until softened, about 4 minutes.

Place the fried peanuts (or the peanut butter) in a small food processor with the cooked garlic and chillies, kecap manis, tamarind paste and salt. Pulse briefly, then add a splash of water to loosen the sauce and pulse again. Gradually add about 4 tablespoons of water and continue to pulse until the sauce is a pourable consistency. Season with salt or more kecap manis as needed.

To make the pickle, mix the vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl. Slice the cucumber using a mandoline if you have one, or very thinly slice with a sharp knife. Add the sliced cucumber, shallots and chilli to the pickling liquid and stir together. Set aside for 1 hour for the ingredients to pickle.

Once ready to serve, drain the liquid from the pickle and serve as well-drained as possible.

To make the marinade, combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken, toss to coat the pieces evenly and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, but preferably for 1 hour.

Place the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan over a high heat and reduce until thickened. Set aside.

Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking to let it come to room temperature. Thread 4-5 chicken pieces on to each of the soaked skewers.

When ready to cook, heat a large griddle or frying pan over a high heat. (You can also cook these skewers on a barbecue, if you like.) Brush the griddle with some of the oil or add the 2 tablespoons of oil to the frying pan and, once hot, add the chicken skewers – you should hear a good sizzle. Cook the chicken for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through, rotating the skewers every couple of minutes. While it cooks, brush it with the prepared glaze. Once cooked, rest for 5 minutes.

To serve, pour a generous puddle of peanut sauce on the middle of the plate. Arrange the skewers on top of the peanut sauce. Serve with a cucumber pickle the pickles on the side, along with the crackers.

Variation: To make this recipe vegan, substitute the chicken with a very firm tofu cut into 2cm dice. Marinate the tofu overnight, and cook the tofu skewers under a hot grill. Baste the tofu continually with the glaze until warmed through.

From Coconut & Sambal by Lara Lee (Bloomsbury, £26). Order a copy at observershop.co.uk for £23.40. Delivery charges may apply

Georgina Hayden

One of the biggest differences between Greek and Cypriot cuisine is dill v coriander. For Cypriots, one of the strongest flavour profiles is coriander (whether in seed form or fresh leaf) with lemon. In Greece, there is a liberal use of dill, and it is a flavour I have grown to adore. For meat kebabs, I more often go with the warmer spice of coriander seed, but with firm white fish, I choose the Greek way of less spice, more herbs.

Makes 4 skewers

saffron a pinch
fennel seeds ½ tsp
lemon 1
dill ½ bunch
firm white fish 500g, such as monkfish
olive oil 3 tbsp, plus a little extra
salt and black pepper
mayonnaise 4 tbsp
capers 1½ tbsp

Place the saffron in a large mixing bowl and top with 75ml of just-boiled water. Leave to cool. Grind the fennel seeds. Place in the mixing bowl and finely grate in the zest from the lemon. Finely chop the dill and add half of it to the saffron mixture. Cut the fish into even pieces, about 2.5cm, and stir into the cooled marinade. Drizzle with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil and mix together well. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, but longer if you can. If you’re using bamboo skewers, soak four of them for 30 minutes.

When you are ready to cook the fish, season it generously. Thread equally on the skewers, but don’t push too close together or they won’t cook evenly. Rub in a little more olive oil. Place the skewers on hot barbecue bars or on a hot griddle pan and cook for about 6-8 minutes, turning halfway through, until charred and cooked through.

Meanwhile, stir the remaining chopped dill into the mayonnaise with the capers and the juice of half the lemon. Season to taste and serve with the skewers.

From Greekish by Georgina Hayden (Bloomsbury, £26). Order a copy at observershop.co.uk for £23.40. Delivery charges may apply

Helen Graham

It would not be a summer barbecue without some courgette skewers, and this marinade is my go-to, offering a very addictive sweet/savoury/tangy profile from the agave, miso and preserved lemons. It also makes for a very satisfyingly thick baste, allowing you to brush it into every crevice of the courgette.

Makes 8 skewers

wooden skewers 8, pre-soaked
garlic 3 cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
white miso paste 60g
preserved lemons 80g, roughly chopped (including skin)
agave syrup 80g
fine sea salt ½ tsp
sumac 1 tbsp
aleppo chilli flakes 1 tbsp, or regular chilli flakes
vegetable oil 160ml
nigella seeds ½ tbsp
courgettes 1kg, topped and tailed, shaved into strips using a peeler, discarding the seedy centre

Add all the ingredients except the nigella seeds and courgettes to a smoothie blender, and blitz to a smooth and emulsified paste. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the nigella seeds.

Light the barbecue and let the coals settle to a medium-high heat, or set a gas barbecue to a steady medium flame. You can also cook this in a griddle pan. Thread the courgette strips on to the skewers, ribboning them to create a concertina effect, leaving 2cm free on either end. Use a pastry brush to liberally cover the skewers on both sides with the marinade. Grill the skewers directly over the heat for 8-10 minutes on each side until golden, sizzling and lightly charred at the edges.

Helen Graham is a chef and food writer; helengraham.co.uk

Ben Tish

These natural herby skewers not only look great but add an aromatic perfume to the prawns on grilling. Look for particularly woody stalks on the rosemary and bay so they can hold the weight of the prawns. I keep the heads on the prawns and squeeze out the sizzling juices over the bodies after they come off the grill. Trust me, they will explode with flavour.

You can also try this with squid and scallops.

Serves 4 as a starter

extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp
runny honey 1 tsp
red wine vinegar 2 tsp
red chilli 1, deseeded and finely chopped
garlic 2 cloves, peeled, crushed and finely chopped
fresh rosemary leaves ½ tsp, chopped (use the leaves from the branches, below)
rosemary branches 4 woody, sturdy, leaves removed from all but the tips
bay-leaf branches 4 woody, sturdy, leaves removed and reserved
raw Atlantic or tiger prawns 24, with heads on
sea salt, black pepper and olive oil for cooking

Whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, honey, vinegar, chilli, garlic and chopped rosemary leaves. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare the skewers. Cut each of the rosemary and bay-leaf branches roughly into lengths about 12cm or so. Sharpen the ends with a peeler to create a point.

Thread 3 prawns on to each of the rosemary skewers, and 3 prawns on to each bay skewer – alternate each prawn with a bay leaf.

Place the skewers in a shallow tray and spoon over ¾ of the marinade and leave for 30 minutes.

Light and set a barbecue to optimum temperature (the coals should be hot and ashen grey), and place a rack on top. Alternatively, set a griddle pan over a hob until it’s very hot.

Remove the skewers from the marinade and drain well, then place them on the rack. You may need to do in batches depending on the size of the rack. Cook the skewers for 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through and nicely charred.

Remove from the barbecue and place on a serving dish, drizzle over the reserved marinade and serve. This is delicious with aioli and bread.

Ben Tish is chef-director of Cubitt House, London; cubitthouse.co.uk

Lerato Umah-Shaylor

One of my favourite things on sticks is suya. Growing up in Lagos, Nigeria, I found the whiff of this open-fire grilled meat wafting across the street as the sun set, was simply irresistible. From the northern region of Nigeria, and known as tsire by the Hausa-Fulani people, this sizzling grilled meat is often made with a captivating peanut-ginger spice blend. In Nigeria, you can also have tsire without peanuts and, after years of working on a nut-free alternative, I developed a nut allergy. I’ve found sesame delivers a flavour and crust reminiscent of the nutty original. The wet and dry marinades help create a dark crust and a juicy centre. Use rib -eye steak for its beautiful marbling that keeps the beef moist and juicy within, however s. Sirloin is a fine – and leaner – alternative.

You will need 4-6 metal or soaked wooden skewers.

Serves 4-6

rib-eye steaks 1kg (the thicker, the better)
fine sea salt 1 tsp
vegetable oil
cherry tomatoes 250g, halved, to serve
red onions 2 large, cut into wedges, to serve

For the wet marinade
garlic 4 cloves
ginger 5cm piece
brown onion ½
tahini 3 tbsp
toasted sesame oil 3 tbsp

For the dry suya marinade
garlic granules 3 tsp
ground ginger 3 tsp
paprika 3 tsp
cayenne pepper 1½ tsp
sesame seeds 4 tbsp
sea salt flakes 1 tsp, or ½ tsp of fine sea salt

Place the steaks in the freezer for 20-30 minutes for a firmer texture and much easier slicing. Remember to soak your wooden skewers in water.

Pat the steaks dry and slice thinly and lengthways against the grain. Season with sea salt and set aside in a bowl to come up to room temperature as you prepare the marinades. If in a rush, carefully slice the unchilled steak as thinly as you can, place greaseproof paper on top and use a rolling pin or heavy object to press or lightly bash the slices to flatten.

To make the wet marinade, place the garlic, ginger and onion with 2 tablespoons of water in a blender and blend to a smooth puree. Pour it over the sliced steak, add the tahini and toasted sesame oil and mix it all together to coat the beef.

For the dry marinade, mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, then add 1 tablespoon of it to the bowl of beef and mix once again. Save 1 tablespoon of the dry marinade for serving. Thread the beef slices on to your skewers. Cook immediately, or marinate in the fridge for up to 2 hours or overnight.

Heat your outdoor grill or indoor griddle pan and, once sizzling hot, use a brush to dab some oil all over the threaded skewers before cooking on the grill. Cook for 2-3 minutes on either side until golden and slightly charred. Brush the cherry tomatoes with oil and place on the grill just for a kiss of heat and a little char. Do the same with the onions but cook for a little longer until softened and charred.

Serve the grilled skewers alongside the charred cherry tomatoes and onion wedges on a platter. Sprinkle a final flourish of the dry suya spice blend over the skewers and leave to rest for a few minutes before tucking in.

Lerato Umah-Shaylor is the author of Africana: Treasured Recipes and Stories from Across the Continent (HarperCollins, £22)