Monkfish and Squid Souvlaki with Herb Dressing

INGREDIENTS

300 grams baby squid tubes, rinsed
600 grams monkfish or other firm fleshed fish
1 small red onion, cut into small wedges
1 red capsicum, cut into 2 cm wide strips

Marinade
½ cup olive oil
¼ – ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
2 cloves garlic, finely crushed
finely grated zest 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence

Dressing
½ small telegraph cucumber
1 cup thick, plain yoghurt
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ cup chopped soft herbs, any combination of basil, flat-leaf parsley and mint

To assemble
2-3 limes, quartered
8-10 x 18 cm long stalks of rosemary or metal skewers, or wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes

METHOD

Marinade: Combine the ingredients in a large bowl and season.

Cut the monkfish into large, bite-sized pieces. Pull the onion wedges apart so there are only two layers of onion in each ‘petal’. Add the squid, fish, onion and capsicum to the marinade and toss to coat well. Marinate for up to 2 hours.

Thread onto the skewers, finishing with a lime wedge to hold everything on firmly.

Cook on a preheated barbecue over a medium heat, for 2-3 minutes each side or until the fish is just cooked through.

Dressing: Peel, seed and coarsely grate the cucumber. Place in a clean tea towel and squeeze out excess moisture. Combine with the remaining ingredients and season.

To serve: Remove the lime from the end of each skewer and squeeze over the seafood.

Serve the dressing in a separate bowl. Makes 8-10.

Use only strong, mature rosemary stalks for barbecuing and shave the ends into a point with a sharp knife. Soft, pliable stalks will not support the fish and will burn easily. Cover the leaves with aluminium foil to prevent them burning to a crisp.

Herbes de Provence: a traditional blend of aromatic herbs found in southern France. There are many variations, some include orange zest and lavender. Use when roasting chicken, lamb, potatoes and tomatoes, or a tray of mixed vegetables. Sprinkle over fish or salmon before sautéing. Buy from good food stores or make your own with 3 tablespoons each dried marjoram, thyme and rosemary, 1 teaspoon each dried tarragon and oregano and 1 teaspoon ground fennel seed. Combine all the herbs and store in an airtight jar.