Seafood Skewers Recipe

Prepare fish

Pat the salmon, tuna, and swordfish cubes dry with paper towels. Season lightly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper distributed across the pieces.

Make teriyaki glaze

In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce (1 cup), mirin (1 tbs), brown sugar (3 tbs), grated ginger (1 tsp), and minced garlic (1 tsp). Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer 4–5 minutes.

Make cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch (1 tsp) with water (1 tbs). Whisk into the simmering sauce and cook 1 additional minute until glaze thickens slightly. Remove from heat and let cool to warm. Reserve about 1/3 cup glaze for brushing while grilling and the rest for serving or finishing.

Char pineapple and vegetables

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. Toss pineapple chunks, red bell pepper pieces, and red onion pieces with 2 tbs neutral oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Place on the hot grill and cook until well charred at the edges, about 2–3 minutes per side for pineapple and 2–3 minutes per side for peppers and onion. Remove and let cool slightly.

Assemble skewers

If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes beforehand. Thread the fish and grilled vegetables onto skewers, alternating types of fish and pieces of pineapple/pepper/onion so each skewer has a mix. Aim for 4–5 pieces of fish and 3–4 pieces of veg/pineapple per skewer, leaving a little space so pieces are not crushed.

Lightly brush assembled skewers with a thin coat of the reserved teriyaki glaze (about 1/2–1 tsp per skewer) and let sit while you make the aioli and preheat grill to high for final searing.

Prepare charred pineapple for aioli

Reserve about 1 cup of the charred pineapple chunks. Place them in a blender or food processor with the seeded jalapeño and puree until smooth. If needed, add 1 teaspoon water to help blend.

Whisk the pureed charred pineapple and jalapeño into 1 cup mayonnaise with 2 tbs lime juice, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust heat or acidity by adding more jalapeño or lime. Chill until ready to serve.

Grill skewers

Preheat grill to high (or use a very hot grill pan). Brush grill grates lightly with oil. Place skewers on the hot grill and sear 1.5–2 minutes per side. After flipping, brush the top side with teriyaki glaze and continue cooking 1–2 minutes. Rotate to sear all sides; total cook time should be 6–8 minutes depending on heat and cube size. Fish should be opaque at the edges but still slightly translucent in the center (medium doneness for tuna/swordfish; salmon should be cooked through but not dry).

During the last minute, brush one final light coat of glaze on the skewers to create a shiny finish. Remove skewers from grill and rest 2 minutes.

Plate and garnish

Arrange skewers on a platter. Spoon or dollop the charred pineapple-jalapeño aioli alongside or drizzle sparingly over the skewers. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions over the skewers. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.