Grilled Swordfish and Scallops Skewers Recipe

This Grilled Swordfish and Scallops Skewers recipe combines tender seafood, smoky grill marks, and a creamy coconut curry corn sauce for a bright and satisfying BBQ dish. Featured on Maddie and Kiki BBQ Barn Season 2, this recipe from Maddie and Kiki Longo brings together swordfish, jumbo scallops, sweet corn, coconut milk, and Madras curry paste for a bold seafood meal that feels fresh, vibrant, and easy to serve.

The Inspiration

Seafood and grilling are a natural match, especially when the ingredients are firm enough to handle direct heat. Swordfish is ideal for skewers because it has a meaty texture that holds its shape on the grill, while jumbo scallops bring natural sweetness and a delicate buttery quality. Together, they create a seafood skewer that feels elegant but still perfectly suited to relaxed outdoor cooking.

This recipe from Maddie and Kiki BBQ Barn Season 2 reflects Maddie and Kiki Longo’s signature style: approachable grilling with big flavour. Instead of serving the skewers with a basic squeeze of lemon alone, the dish is paired with a curried corn sauce that adds richness, spice, sweetness, and brightness. The sauce is inspired by warm curry flavours, but it remains balanced and creamy thanks to coconut milk, corn, apple, ginger, and lemon juice.

Ingredients

For the skewers

1 lb of sushi-grade swordfish, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 lb of sushi-grade jumbo scallops (size U10)
1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil or any neutral flavored oil (15-30ml)
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 bamboo skewers, soaked in cool water for 30 minutes
Oil, for brushing
Lemon wedges, for serving
Tin foil

For the curried corn sauce

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch of fresh ginger, minced
½ granny smith apple, peeled, cored and finely diced
2 tbsp madras curry paste
½ cup chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or canned
Juice from 1 lemon
Cilantro, optional

Methods

Start by getting the sauce ready.
Bring a saucepan to medium-high heat.
Add butter and melt.
Add onion, garlic, ginger and apples.
Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. C
ook for 2-3 minutes or until the stock has reduced by half.
Add coconut milk and curry paste and stir.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 6-8 minutes.
Add corn and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and reserve for plating.
Prepare barbeque for direct medium-high grilling (400F).
Oil grill to prevent sticking.
Skewer the cubed fish and scallops onto the soaked bamboo sticks (approximately 2-3 pieces of fish and 2-3 scallops per stick).
Lightly brush the fish with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Place the skewers directly on the grill. Slide a small sheet of foil under the exposed skewers to prevent the sticks from burning.
Grill fish for 1-2 minutes or until nice char marks are achieved.
Flip and continue to cook until all 4 sides are slightly charred.
This will go quickly because we don’t want the inside of the fish and seafood to be fully cooked.
Remove skewers from the grill and serve warm with the Curried Corn Sauce.
Garnish with cilantro and serve lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

These grilled swordfish and scallop skewers with curried corn sauce are perfect for summer dinners, seafood nights, backyard barbecues, and warm-weather entertaining. Serve them as a main course with coconut rice, grilled vegetables, cucumber salad, roasted potatoes, or a crisp green salad to balance the richness of the sauce. The creamy curry corn sauce also pairs beautifully with charred flatbread or grilled naan-style bread for soaking up every bite.

If serving this dish as an appetizer or small plate, arrange the skewers on a platter with the sauce in a shallow bowl for dipping and garnish with fresh cilantro, lemon wedges, and extra corn for colour.

For drinks, pair this seafood recipe with sparkling water, iced tea, a citrus-forward mocktail, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, or a light lager. The sweet corn, coconut milk, curry, lemon, swordfish, and scallops create a balanced dish that works equally well for casual BBQ gatherings and more refined outdoor dining.

Final Thoughts

This Grilled Swordfish and Scallop Skewers with Curried Corn Sauce recipe is a bold and memorable seafood dish that brings together smoky grilling, creamy sauce, and bright curry flavours. Featured on Maddie and Kiki BBQ Barn Season 2 with Maddie and Kiki Longo, it highlights how simple seafood skewers can become a standout meal with the right sauce and cooking technique.

Find more recipes from Maddie & Kiki’s BBQ Barn here!