African Apricot Chicken Skewers Food

CHICKEN-APRICOT SKEWERS

Steps:

• Purée first 6 ingredients and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth. Add 1/4 cup cilantro leaves and jalapeño and blend briefly to combine. Transfer 1/2 cup marinade to a small bowl; cover and chill for serving (return to room temperature before using). Place remaining marinade in a resealable plastic bag; add chicken, seal bag, and turn to coat. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight (the longer it marinates, the more flavorful it will be).
• Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Holding 2 skewers parallel to each other and 1/2" apart, thread 1 piece of chicken onto skewers, then 1 apricot half. Repeat with 1 more chicken piece and 1 more apricot half (using 2 skewers helps hold the meat and fruit together, preventing them from twirling around when skewers are turned on the grill). Repeat with remaining skewers, chicken, and apricots for a total of 12, each holding 2 pieces of chicken and 2 apricot halves. Season with salt and pepper. Brush apricots with some marinade from bag; discard remaining marinade.
• Grill skewers on one side until chicken is well browned, 3-4 minutes. Turn and grill until other side is well browned, 3-4 minutes longer. Move to a cooler part of grill. Cover grill and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a serving platter; sprinkle with cilantro sprigs and peanuts and drizzle with reserved marinade. Serve with lime wedges alongside for squeezing over.

SPICED SKEWERED CHICKEN (CHICKEN SOSATIES)

Steps:

• Place chicken in a large deep nonreactive bowl.
• Heat oil in a nonreactive saucepan and fry the onions until they are lightly browned. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly to make sure that the sugar has dissolved.
• Allow the marinade to cool and pour it over the chicken.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 24 hours.
• When ready to grill the chicken pieces, remove them from the marinade, drain them, place them on skewers, and grill over hot coals or under the broiler for 10 minutes, turning once, or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Serve hot with apricot chutney.

SOSATIES

Steps:

• Finely chop the onion then soften it in a little oil in a small pan until it is becoming translucent but not browning.
• Add the garlic and ginger and cook a minute then add the vinegar, jam, curry powder, cumin and salt. Mix well then remove from heat and leave to cool.
• Dice the lamb into relatively large dice (around 1 1/2-2 inch/ 4-5cm dice), trimming excess fat or sinew. Mix the cooled marinade through the lamb then cover and leave a few hours or overnight, refrigerated.
• Soak the apricots in hot water to soften for around 15-20 minutes.
• Thread the meat onto skewers along with the soaked dried apricots and chunks of onion, putting one or other between each chunk of meat.
• Cook on a grill/bbq until the meat is cooked through then serve.

APRICOT-GLAZED CHICKEN KABOBS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Pour 1/2 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade., Drain and discard marinade in bag. On four metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread the chicken, onion, zucchini and summer squash. , On a lightly greased grill rack, grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear, turning and basting occasionally with reserved marinade.