She is always on the lookout for flavour-forward crowd-pleasers. With their charry, caramelised edges and "why didn’t I think of that?" combinations, they’re a fast and super fun way to feed a crowd.
Ginger pork and pineapple skewers
600g pork fillet, trimmed and thinly sliced
250g pineapple, skin on and sliced into 8 thick wedges
Sliced Lebanese cucumber, coriander and extra sliced long red chilli, to serve
Ginger marinade
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp finely grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 Tbsp fish sauce
⅓ cup (80g) firmly packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Chilli pickled carrot
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp honey
1 long red chilli, sliced
4 carrots, peeled and shredded using a julienne peeler
To make the ginger marinade, combine the green onion, ginger, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar and oil in a large bowl.
Add the pork and the pineapple and mix to combine. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.
To make the chilli pickled carrot, combine the vinegar, honey and chilli in a bowl. Add the carrot and toss to combine. Set aside.
Preheat oven grill to high. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Thread the pork and pineapple on to eight metal skewers and place on the prepared tray. Brush with any remaining ginger marinade and grill for 10-12 minutes or until just cooked through.
Serve with the chilli pickled carrot, cucumber, coriander and the extra chilli. Serves 4
Lemon, garlic and rosemary chicken skewers
800g chicken thigh fillets, trimmed and cut into pieces
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
400g haloumi, cut into cubes
2 lemons, halved and thinly sliced into rounds
Basil leaves, lemon wedges and olive and lemon brown rice salad (see recipe, below), to serve
Lemon, garlic and rosemary marinade
⅓ cup (16g) rosemary leaves, roughly chopped
⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp shredded lemon rind
To make the lemon, garlic and rosemary marinade, combine the rosemary, oil, garlic, lemon juice and lemon rind in a large bowl.
Add the chicken pieces, salt and pepper and mix to combine. Allow to marinate for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven grill to high. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
Serve with basil leaves, lemon wedges and olive and lemon brown rice salad. Serves 4
Olive and lemon brown rice salad
Heat a small saucepan over low heat. Add 1 cup (60g) pitted and sliced green Sicilian olives, 2 tablespoons shredded lemon rind and Πcup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and stir to combine. Mix 3 cups (495g) cooked brown rice, 1 cup (20g) basil leaves and the lemon olive dressing and toss to combine. Serves 4 as a side
Tip: To ensure everything cooks evenly, always use metal skewers.
The book
The Fast Five by Donna Hay RRP: $55
