Instead of slapping some uber-predictable burgers and bangers on the grill, why not try your hand at Great British Bake Off 2015 winner Nadiya Hussain’s recipe of choice, from her cookbook, Nadiya’s British Food Adventure?
“These are my favourite beef skewers that I cook every year on the barbecue,” says Nadiya. “The recipe has lots of lemon in it, which means the meat doesn’t have to sit in the fridge overnight to marinate. Seeing as I never have any room in the fridge, this seemed like the best idea. I love these skewers served with a simple fresh lentil and chickpea salad.”
Beef skewers with puy lentil & chickpea salad
Equipment
- 8 wooden skewers
- Food processor
- 2 bowls
- Roasting dish
Ingredients
For the beef skewers
- 4 beef fillet steaks (approx 600g), very thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lemons peeled rind and juice
- 2 green chillies
- 30 g fresh coriander chopped
- 1 tsp salt
For the salad
- 1 large clove of garlic crushed and finely chopped
- 1 large red onion diced
- 15 g fresh coriander finely chopped
- 1 small chilli deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 250 g cooked puy lentils (buy a ready-cooked pouch)
- 800 g chickpeas drained
- 1 lime juice
- 1/4 tsp salt
Method
- Soak eight wooden skewers in cold water for 15 minutes. This will prevent them burning during cooking.
- Slice the steak lengthways as thinly as possible and set aside in a bowl.
- Put the oil, lemon rind, lemon juice, chillies, coriander and salt into a food processor. Blitz to a smooth paste, then add the paste to the bowl of steak pieces. Mix well, then cover and set aside for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the salad. Put the garlic, onion, coriander, chilli, mustard and oil into a bowl and mix well. Add the lentils and chickpeas. Squeeze in the lime juice and mix through the salt, then cover and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 9 and lightly grease a roasting dish. Or if you prefer to cook your skewers on a griddle pan, grease it lightly and put it on a medium to high heat to start warming up.
- Meanwhile, skewer the beef pieces in a zigzag pattern. Do this until you have filled all eight skewers. If you have any leftover marinade, just dab it on top of the beef.
- Line the skewers on to the greased roasting dish and bake for eight to 10 minutes, making sure to turn them over halfway through. Or, if griddling, put them on the hot pan and cook for three to four minutes on each side.
- Once cooked, serve the warm beef skewers with the salad alongside.
Nutrition
Nadiya’s British Food Adventure by Nadiya Hussain is published by Michael Joseph.
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