Two great prawn recipes to grill on the BBQ

Talking to food writers Helen Graves and Genevieve Taylor about recipes that might get beginners - particularly women - into barbecuing they both came up with one based on prawns, aka shrimp. Both are super-easy.

Genevieve's prawn, chorizo and ciabatta skewers

The spicy oil from the chorizo soaks into the bread so it grills up to be deliciously crisp and tasty. Keep the bread cubes fairly generous so they will be less likely to fall off the skewers.

Makes 6

6 thick slices ciabatta

2 tbsp olive oil

200g (7oz) raw peeled prawns (shrimp)

125g (4 1/2oz) dried chorizo, cut into 5mm (1/4in) discs

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

a handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1 lemon, quartered

You will also need 6 metal skewers.

When you are ready to cook, fire up your barbecue ready for direct cooking.

Cut the bread into cubes a similar size to the diameter of the chorizo and put in a bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil. Add the prawns (shrimp) and the chorizo and a good grind of salt and pepper then toss to mix. Thread onto skewers, alternating between bread, prawns and chorizo.

Lay the skewers directly over the fire and cook them for 3–5 minutes, turning regularly, until the prawns are pink and cooked through and the bread is crisp. If the bread is catching too quickly, move the skewers slightly further away from the fire to cook more gently.

To serve, scatter over the parsley and squeeze over the lemon. Eat while hot.

Credit: Foolproof BBQ by Genevieve Taylor (Quadrille, £12.99) Photography ©Jason Ingram

Helen's prawns with smoky chilli salt

For 2 people

12 large king prawns, shell on

1 smoky dried chilli, such as a jalapeno or ancho

A couple of pinches of flaky sea salt

1 lemon, cut in half

Light the barbecue for direct cooking.

Toast the chilli in a dry frying pan until fragrant - a few minutes. Remove the stalk and blitz in a spice grinder or smash it up in a pestle and mortar. Combine with the sea salt and set aside.

When the BBQ is ready, toss your prawns in a little oil but don’t season them.

Cook them over direct heat for a couple of minutes each side, or until totally pink and cooked through.

Cook the lemon cut side down over the hottest part of the BBQ until it’s lightly charred.

Serve the cooked prawns with the caramelised lemon and the chilli salt, for dipping.

Recipe and photography ©Helen Graves. You can find more of her recipes on her blog Food Stories

What to drink: Although these recipes have different seasoning they'd both go with a crisp citrussy white. I'd probably pick an unoaked white rioja or Rueda with Genevieve's recipe and an albarino or an assyrtiko with Helen's.