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Buttermilk chicken shish kebab with lemon pickle and oregano
Serves 2-4 Starters and mains
For the buttermilk chicken shish
- 100ml buttermilk
- 1⁄2tsp ground cumin
- 1⁄4tsp cayenne pepper
- 1tsp sweet paprika
- 1⁄4tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 1tbsp biber salcasi (hot red pepper paste)
- grated zest and juice 1 lemon
- 1tsp salt
- 1⁄4tsp coarse ground black pepper
- 1⁄2 onion, sliced
- 8 chicken thighs, deboned, skinned and quartered
- 2 green peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
- 1 red onion, peeled and quartered
For the lemon pickle
- zest 3 lemons, cut into very thin strips
- juice 3 lemons
To serve
- pittas or flatbread
- 2tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
- 1tbsp spring onion, thinly sliced
- 1tbsp oregano leaves, picked
- 12 confit garlic cloves
- good-quality garlic sauce
- good-quality coleslaw
Method
Put the buttermilk, spices, garlic, garlic oil, biber salcasi, lemon zest and juice and onion, plus salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. Stir together to combine. Add the chicken pieces to the marinade and massage the mixture into the chicken to ensure it’s evenly distributed and well coated. Cover the bowl and leave in the fridge for 4-6 hours – or preferably overnight.
To finish the chicken, skewer the chicken pieces intermittently with the red and green pepper and the red onion.
To make the lemon pickle, put the lemon zest strips and juice in a pan and set over a medium-to-low heat. Cook for 12-15 minutes until completely softened but still holding their shape. The lemon juice should be on a gentle, rolling simmer as opposed to an aggressive boil. Be careful not to overcook the lemon skin, as it will fall apart into small, unmanageable pieces. The idea is to have long strips of tender zest still intact.
Transfer the lemon zest with any remaining juice to an airtight jar. Set aside in the fridge until needed. The pickle will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.
Set up your barbecue for single-zone, direct grilling and ensure that you are cooking on medium-hot embers. Grill the skewers directly over the burning coals, turning frequently to ensure both sides are well coloured and the chicken is cooked all the way through when checked with a knife (or to an internal temperature of 70C/158F or above when probed with a thermometer).
Brush the pittas or flatbreads with a little olive oil mixed with a few drops of water and warm through briefly on the grill.
Remove the pittas and transfer them to a serving platter. Place the skewered chicken thighs atop, brushed with a little more olive oil. Scatter the spring onion and oregano leaves liberally over the skewers, along with the confit garlic cloves and around 1tbsp of the lemon pickle.
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