Name: Grilled vegetable skewers with pistachio pesto yogurt
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 3 garlic cloves, finely grated; 1 lemon, juiced; ½ tsp sea salt flakes; ½ tsp pul biber chilli flakes; ½ tsp dried mint; ½ tsp dried oregano; 4 tbsp olive oil; 3 courgettes, cut into 4cm chunks; 3 small red onions, skinned, quartered and separated into layers; 12 chestnut mushrooms, cleaned; 150g shelled pistachios, toasted and cooled; zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tbsp of juice; 1 garlic clove, finely grated; 10g mint leaves; 50ml olive oil; 250g full-fat greek yogurt; 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

Five vegetable skewers on a wooden board

3 garlic cloves
finely grated
1 lemon
juiced
½ tsp sea salt flakes
½ tsp pul biber chilli flakes
½ tsp dried mint
½ tsp dried oregano
4 tbsp olive oil
3 courgettes
cut into 4cm chunks
3 small red onions
skinned, quartered and separated into layers
12 chestnut mushrooms
cleaned

PISTACHIO YOGURT

150g shelled pistachios
toasted and cooled
zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tbsp of juice
1 garlic clove
finely grated
10g mint leaves
50ml olive oil
250g full-fat greek yogurt
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

Method

step 1
In a bowl combine the garlic for the skewers with the lemon juice, salt, spices and herbs, then whisk in the oil and toss in the veg to marinate for a few hours.
step 2
To make the yogurt dip, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and roast the pistachios for 6-7 mins or until crisp and toasted. Blitz them in a food processor with a pinch of salt until you have a fine crumb. Add in the lemon zest and juice, garlic and mint, and blitz again until you have a coarse paste. Add the oil and whizz to a smooth paste – if it’s too thick, add 2-3 tbsp of water and whizz again.
step 3
In a big bowl, fold the yogurt with the molasses, season, then swirl in the pistachio paste to create gorgeous contrasts of cream and green.
step 4
Skewer the vegetables onto heatproof metal or soaked wooden skewers, and grill under the grill’s highest setting (or over the barbecue) for 8-10 mins. Serve with flatbreads, salad and the yogurt.