Elevate your roast chook this weekend with the simple step of brining, smokey charred flavours and a fresh green sauce.

Recipes Callum Hann | Photographs Brendan Homan | Styling Natalie Homan

Brined chicken with green romesco sauce
serves 4

¼ cup fine salt
5 bay leaves
20 black peppercorns
1L boiling water plus 4L cold water
1 x 1.2-1.5kg chicken
2 green capsicums
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1/3 cup toasted almonds
½ bunch parsley
1/3 cup olive oil

Place salt, bay leaves and peppercorns in a large stockpot. Pour over boiling water. Allow to sit, stirring occasionally, until the salt has dissolved. Add cold water.

Place chicken onto a chopping board, breast side down. Use kitchen scissors to cut either side of the spine to remove it.
Turn the chicken over and press firmly on the breast to flatten or “butterfly” the chicken. Add butterflied chicken to the brine. Refrigerate overnight.

The next day, preheat a fire to have hot coals with a barbecue grate over the top. Cook capsicums, turning occasionally, until well blackened. Remove to a bowl and cover with cling film. Allow to cool. Remove skin, then place capsicum flesh into a mortar and pestle or food processor, along with garlic, vinegar, almonds, parsley and olive oil. Process until smooth.

Place chicken skin-side-down over the coals. Cook until skin is well blistered and charred. Turn over chicken and repeat process. Remove chicken to the coolest part of the grill. Cook, turning occasionally, for 30 to 40 minutes or until juice runs clear when the thickest part of the leg is pierced with a skewer. Remove chicken from heat and allow to rest before carving.

To serve, spoon green romesco sauce onto a serving platter, and top with carved chicken.

 

This recipe first appeared in the June 2021 issue of SALIFE magazine.