7-Steps to Creating Delicious Chargrilled Halloumi Skewers

Day two in our series of delicious veggie bbq recipes from Genevieve Taylor’s book Charred. This one is flavour-packed and looks fabulously impressive to any guests, huddling round your grill. 

Waxy salad potatoes, such as Charlotte, work brilliantly on a barbecue or griddle, but you do need to simmer them until tender before grilling. Here they are skewered up with ever-popular halloumi and asparagus and coated in spicy harissa.

Photography by Jason Ingram

Harissa potato, halloumi and asparagus skewers with coriander and lemon oil

Makes 6-8 skewers

500g Charlotte potatoes, sliced in half lengthways

250g bunch of asparagus, each stalk cut into 3

500g halloumi, cut into finger-thick wedges

2 tbsp harissa paste, or to taste

For the coriander and lemon oil

75ml extra virgin olive oil

1 small bunch coriander, leaves finely chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

½–1 tsp caster sugar, to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

You’ll also need 6–8 kebab skewers, preferably metal ones

1. Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil and add the potato halves. Cook until just tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 10 minutes, depending on how big they are.

2. Add the asparagus for the final 30 seconds or so, just to blanch it very briefly, then drain the potatoes and asparagus and put back into the pan.

3. Add the halloumi fingers and harissa and stir gently until evenly coated, taking care not to break up the cheese or potatoes.

4. Thread everything alternately on to the skewers and set aside while you heat your barbecue for direct grilling, or preheat a cast-iron griddle on the hob.

5. Cook the kebabs over a medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, turning once until evenly charred.

6. While the skewers are cooking, make the coriander and lemon oil by putting everything into a jug and whisking together with a fork, seasoning to taste with a little sugar, salt and pepper.

7. Once cooked, transfer the kebabs to a plate, drizzle over the coriander and lemon oil and serve.