Have a Surf then Turf these on the barbeque

Admittedly, my barbeque does not get an regular workout because it is a portable (Weber Baby Q) that has to be carried outside and hooked up whenever it's to be used.  But in the summer season, it doesn't seem like such a hardship when there is the promise of a great-tasting meal at the end of the effort.

This recipe for Surf 'n' Turf skewers is from Ainsley Harriott and it's accompanied by a brilliant salad of rockmelon, tomatoes and cucumber.  I was particularly lucky to score a sweet, sweet rockmelon and extra-crisp cucumber for this salad and together, they danced in the mouth!

Surf 'n' Turf barbeque skewers
makes 4-5

Ingredients
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp mild paprika
1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
12 green tiger prawns, peeled, deveined, tails intact
350g piece of sirloin or rump steak, cut into 16 2.5cm (1") cubes
Lemon wedges, to serve

Garlic and parsley butter
50g unsalted butter
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
2 tblsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tblsp lemon juice

Method
1.  Soak 4-5 bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes.
2.  Combine olive oil, paprika, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce plus salt and pepper. Dip prawns into the marinade then lift out onto a plate and set aside in the fridge.
3.  Stir the steak pieces into the marinade and leave for 15 minutes.
4.  Preheat barbeque to medium-high. Thread 4 pieces of steak and 3 prawns alternately onto each skewer and barbeque for 5-10 minutes, turning once, until steak is done and prawns are just cooked through.
5.  Meanwhile, for the garlic and parsely butter, put the butter and garlic into a small pan and melt over medium heat (or on side of the barbeque).  Stir in the parsley, lemon zest and juice.
6.  As soon as the kebabs are cooked, lift them onto plates and sppoon over the garlic butter. Serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe from delicious (November 2005)

Rockmelon and Cucumber salad
serves 4

Ingredients
1/2 rockmelon
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup blueberries

Dressing
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
1 tblsp red wine vinegar
pinch of caster sugar

Method
1. Cut rockmelon into wedges, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon and discard. Cut the flesh away from the skin, then cut into slices
2.  Remove skin from tomatoes by cutting a cross in the base of the tomato then plunging into a bowl of boiling water for 1 minute.  Peel off the skin, then slice the tomato
3.  For the dressing, whisk the olive oil, vinegar and sugar in a bowl with some sea salt and black pepper to taste.
4.  Combine the rockmelon, tomato and cucumber in a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and sprinkle with blueberries.

After marinating the prawns and steak, thread them onto bamboo skewers

Barbeque for a few minutes - I like to save on washing up by using a non-stick BBQ sheet on the grill tray.  The garlic and parsley butter adds a richness to the surf 'n' turf skewers.

The salad is very fresh-tasting and colourful to boot.

Nothing's perfect ... but this comes close!