Barbecued skewers should always be served with this outrageously good baba ganoush. 

Recipe: Extract from Cook Me by Sam Parish

I love me a skewer. Feel free to interchange the lamb here with chicken thigh fillets, beef rump, prawns or even tofu. But as biased as it may sound, lamb will always be my first choice. Also, and this is very important: this baba ganoush is outrageously good and I might have to sell it one day. But until then I give it to you to try and tell me how utterly delicious it is.

Prep ahead: Both the baba ganoush and the skewers can be prepped ahead so all that’s left to do is stand over the BBQ, with cold drink in hand.

*Specialty ingredients: XO sauce is an umami condiment made with dried seafood. It is found at all good Asian grocers, usually behind the counter as it’s such a prized ingredient. Sumac, made from dried berries, is a tiny spice with huge flavour and big citrus notes.

Effort: 4/5
Serves: 4–6
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 45 min

INGREDIENTS

800g boneless lamb leg, cut into 3cm pieces
1 tbsp XO sauce*, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground turmeric
1½ tsp white sugar
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 red onion, thinly sliced
½ tsp flaky salt
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
crushed peanuts and mint leaves to serve

Peanut butter baba ganoush:
500g (approx. 2) eggplants
¼ cup (70g) peanut butter
2 garlic cloves
juice of 1 lemon, plus extra wedges to serve
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sumac*, plus extra to serve

METHOD

Combine lamb, XO, soy, turmeric, sugar and cumin seeds in a bowl. Thread onto skewers and stand for at least 10 minutes – this allows the meat a chance to come to room temperature (30 minutes would be ideal if you have the time – go on.)

Meanwhile, to make the baba ganoush, pierce eggplant with a fork and roast on a BBQ or in a 220°C fan forced oven for 40 minutes, turning halfway, or until eggplant is cooked through and blackened. Transfer to a bowl and cover and stand to steam for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.

Reserve cooking liquid and peel away skin. Transfer flesh to a blender along with peanut butter, garlic, lemon juice and oil and up to 1 tablespoon of reserved eggplant liquid. Whiz until smooth. Spoon onto a serving dish and scatter with sumac. Chill until required.

Toss onion with salt and stand to soften slightly.

Heat a grill pan over high heat, drizzle skewers with oil and cook, in batches if necessary and turning frequently, for 6–8 minutes or until golden and caramelised on all the edges. Add to plate of baba ganoush and drizzle with oil.

Scatter with sumac, peanuts and mint sprigs, and serve with salted onion and lemon wedges.

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Recipe extracted from Cook Me — 30 dishes/3 ways by Sam Parish (Koa Press, RRP $49.99). Photography by Tonia Shuttleworth. Available from koapress.co.nz and all good bookstores.