Grilled Fish Kebabs and Couscous with Mint Pesto
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds halibut, cod or any firm, white fish fillets, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 lemons, juice of 2 1/2, 1/2 sliced, divided
- A few dashes of hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 20 fresh bay leaves
- 2 red bell peppers, chopped into large pieces
- 2 yellow bell peppers, chopped into large pieces
- 2 red onions, chopped into wedges
- 2 pints multi-colored grape tomatoes
- 1 1/2-2 cups chicken stock (amount according to couscous package directions)
- 1 box couscous (6-10 ounces)
- 1 cup big green olives, pitted and chopped
- 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1 cup parsley (a large handful)
- 1 cup mint (a large handful)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- 4 pieces flatbread
For the yogurt dipping sauce:
- 1 cup Greek-style yogurt
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated
- 1/4 small onion, grated
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Note: you will need 7 metal skewers to prepare this recipe.
Directions
- Pre-heat the broiler, grill or grill pan.
- Toss the fish into a large bowl with the juice from 2 1/2 lemons, hot sauce, 1 tablespoon EVOO, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Skewer two pieces of fish onto a metal skewer, followed by a bay leaf. Repeat this process until the skewer is full, then repeat until all the fish is used up. You should have about three skewers of fish.
- Thread the red and yellow pepper chunks and onion wedges, repeating every other veggie until the two skewers are full. Onto the remaining two skewers, thread the cherry tomatoes until they are used up.
- Place the pepper-onion skewers on the grill. After 2 minutes, rotate them and place the fish skewers on. After 2 more minutes, rotate the pepper-onion and the fish skewers and place the tomatoes skewers on the grill. In another couple of minutes or so, check all of the skewers; they should be golden brown and tender. Remove them from the grill and reserve.
- While the skewers are cooking, bring the chicken stock up to a boil. Add in the lemon slices, chopped green olives, salt and freshly ground black pepper, then whisk in the couscous. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit, about 5 minutes.
- In a food processor, add the toasted pine nuts, parsley, mint, garlic and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and pulse until finely chopped. Stream in the remaining 1/2 cup EVOO, pulse until combined into the mint pesto and reserve.
- Make the yogurt dipping sauce: in a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the yogurt, cucumber, onion, lemon juice and zest, cumin, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- When the couscous is ready, fluff it with a fork, then stir in the pesto. Serve the skewers over the couscous with the yogurt dipping sauce and flatbread alongside.