ESPETADAS

When served on a hanging skewer with a plate and a Portuguese roll underneath to catch the juices that drip from the meat, this can be a spectacular-looking dish. Another variation is threading the meat onto thin bay leaf or rosemary branches, which infuse the meat with their flavour.

1 kg beef sirloin, rib-eye or fillet

2 tsp coarse salt

4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

3 bay leaves for the marinade

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ cup red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 red or green pepper, or both

1 onion

Bay leaves for grilling (optional)

1.      Cut the meat into 2.5 cm cubes. Combine the salt and garlic in a bowl and, using a mortar and pestle, pound the two together to make a paste.

2.      Mix in the bay leaves, black pepper, wine vinegar and olive oil. Put the meat cubes in a shallow glass or porcelain bowl and pour the marinade over the meat. Toss the meat in the marinade to coat thoroughly on all sides. Set aside for 2–4 hours or overnight in the fridge.

3.      Deseed the red and/or green pepper and cut into cubes roughly the size of the meat cubes. Do the same with the onion.

4.      If using wooden skewers, soak them in warm water for at least 30 minutes. Thread the cubes of meat, onion and pepper onto the skewers, alternating each piece of meat with a bay leaf, if using, and a piece of onion and pepper.

5.      Grill over hot coals until the meat is cooked to your liking.

6.      Serve with chips or a salad.

Serves 4

TIP

Marinate the onion and red pepper with the meat, and then par-fry the onion and pepper in 1 Tbsp olive oil before threading the meat and vegetables onto the skewers.