Recipe of the week: Genevieve Taylor’s balsamic pork kebabs with pesto dressing

The acid in this marinade helps tenderise the meat, says Genevieve Taylor, but the marinade’s slight sweetness means the kebabs can burn over too high a heat. So be prepared to cook them slightly away from the fire, for a little longer than usual.

Makes eight kebabs

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1.2kg pork leg, diced into 3-4cm cubes
• a bunch of spring onions, cut into 4cm lengths
• flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the pesto: 

• 50g pine nuts
• 30g basil, leaves and stems, roughly torn
• 40g parmesan, grated
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• juice of ½ a lemon
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• You will also need 8 metal skewers

Method

• Mix together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, brown sugar, garlic and smoked paprika in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, add the pork and toss together to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
• To make the pesto, tip the pine nuts into a small frying pan (skillet) and set over a medium heat. Toast for a couple of minutes until golden, then tip into a food processor. Add the basil, parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic along with a little salt and pepper. Blitz to a purée then scoop into a bowl.
• I always think pesto tastes best when freshly made, but you can make it a few hours ahead if you prefer. You can also make it by hand by chopping everything and then pounding it to a paste in a pestle and mortar.
• When you are ready to cook, fire up the barbecue ready for direct and indirect grilling.
• Thread the pork onto metal skewers, alternating it with the spring onion. Rest on the grill bars, slightly away from the fire so they cook over a medium heat, and cook on all sides for 15-20mins. Use a meat probe to check the temperature, taking care the tip doesn’t touch the metal skewer or you will get a false reading. Pork is safe to eat at 63°C for medium, or take it up to 71°C for well done.
• Serve the kebabs with the pesto dressing on the side.

Taken from Seared: The Ultimate Guide to Barbecuing Meat by Genevieve Taylor, published by Quadrille at £20. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £15.99, call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.