Spatchcock chicken, aïoli and toast

Spatchcock chicken, aïoli and toast

Autumn

Smoky chicken, garlicky aïoli and oily, crunchy toast are all heavenly things. Sometimes I roast the whole bird in the wood oven, until it’s dark and oaky and the meat is falling-apart tender, and sometimes I’ll spatchcock the bird and cook it over an open fire, like I’ve done here. Opening it out in this way isn’t difficult, and really helps the chicken cook evenly, particularly when you’ve just got the heat rising up from underneath.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 organic or free-range chicken (about 1–1.2kg / 2lb 4oz–2lb 11oz)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for the toast
  • a knob of butter, softened
  • a handful of rosemary, marjoram, sage and thyme, leaves picked and chopped
  • a loaf of sourdough or good country bread, for toasting
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the aïoli

  • 2 very fresh egg yolks
  • 2 pinches of sea salt
  • 2 very fresh garlic cloves, grated
  • 1 or 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
  • 2 small salted anchovy fillets, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 heaped teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 200ml (7fl oz) sunflower oil
  • 150ml (5fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for trickling

Method

First, make the aïoli. Whisk all the ingredients except the oils together in a bowl. Combine the two oils in a jug. Now, start to add the oils in a thin trickle, whisking continuously. When the oil mixture starts to emulsify with the yolks, you can add it a little faster. If things have gone to plan, you will have a thick, glossy, garlicky mayonnaise. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon of warm water to loosen it. Cover and set aside. (Alternatively, you can make the aïoli in a food processor, trickling the oils in through the feed tube with the motor running.)

Set the chicken breast-side down on a board. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut along each side of the backbone down to the wings and remove the central bone. Open the bird out so it’s nice and flat. You might need to use a little persuasion – it’s not difficult, though: simply push down on it firmly with the palms of your hands. Rub the bird all over with the extra-virgin olive oil and butter and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lastly, sprinkle with the chopped herbs.

Light your fire. When the flames have burned back and you have a good bed of glowing coals, it’s time to cook. Place the chicken on the grill, cut-side down, breast-side up, and cook it gently for about 45–50 minutes. Make sure the heat isn’t too fierce or you’ll burn the chicken before it’s cooked. You may need to move the embers of the barbecue around or top up the fuel in order to get the best heat for this kind of cooking. Flip the chicken and cook on the breast side for a further 20–30 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the bird is cooked through. If using a thermometer, it should read 75°C (167°F) in the thickest part of the chicken.

Use a sharp knife to cut the bread into thick slices. Arrange the slices over the grill and cook for a few moments on each side until golden and starting to char around the edges. Trickle the toasts with some extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Carve the chicken into thick slices or simply tear chunks off the bone and arrange it over the toasts. Spoon generous dollops of aïoli on top, and finish with a little more salt and pepper before devouring.

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