Recipe: Summer skewers with basil, coriander and orange dressing

Summer Skewers with Basil, Coriander and Orange Dressing. Photo / Michael Craig

You could do this on a barbecue but mozzarella is fragile and likely to melt off and drop to the coals before the rest of the meal is grilled. Wooden kebab sticks may catch fire; I suggest you sit these skewers in a baking dish and grill in the oven. Buffalo mozzarella is creamier, more fragile and more expensive than cow's milk mozzarella in New Zealand.

Most of Italy uses cow's milk mozzarella, so don't be a food snob; try to source some as it's more robust to work with. Eggplants are sponges and will soak up as much oil as you want to give them. A bit of water keeps them moist and stops them crisping up too much.

For 4 skewers

• 1 medium eggplant cut into 2 cm cubes
• 2 courgettes cut into 2cm slices
• 1 cup of water
• 8 or more baby tomatoes
• Mozzarella, cut into 2 cm cubes or, if using boccocini, half a ball each.
• Half a cup of basil leaves
• Juice of half an orange
• 2 tbsp of coriander seeds, toasted and ground or
• 1 tbsp of ground coriander.
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.

2. In a baking dish, add the eggplant and courgette with a cup of water and half a cup of oil.

3. Bake till just coloured.

4. Remove and cool.

5. Skewer these with the mozzarella and baby tomatoes.

6. Sit the skewers back in the baking dish and brush with some oil, season with salt and pepper.

7. Turn on the grill in your oven.

8. Place the skewers under the grill till the mozzarella is starting to melt.

9. Remove and dress generously.

Basil, coriander and orange dressing

Some years ago, I went to a flavour-building workshop taken by Glynn Christian. This man is a food genius. He pioneered British food television and has written some of most referred-to books. He happens to be a New Zealander. In this class he explained the relationship between flavours and I discovered the synergy between tomato, orange, coriander and basil. Thanks, Glynn.

Blitz the basil leaves, orange juice, coriander and half a cup of olive oil till well combined.
Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

• glynnchristian.com