I think this grilled chook is inspired by Spain, possibly what I was thinking might be eaten by a farmer in a little village in the Spanish country side somewhere, and that is absolutely what I wanted my chicken to be cooked like on this day. Also, I really wanted some romesco sauce in my life so really, the Spanish chicken was going to be the answer.

Crack on.

BBQ CHICKEN, ROMESCO SAUCE ON THE SIDE

(serves 4 – 6)

1 whole, fresh, free range, pasture raised, caviar fed, nice chicken
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 bay leaves
6 lemon leaves
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
½ lemon, juiced, to serve
Romesco sauce to serve (recipe follows)

Spatchcock (butterfly) your chicken or just cut it in half down the breast plate and spine.
In a bowl mix paprika, oregano, a good pinch of salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to make a marinade.
Tear and scrunch up bay and lemon leaves and chuck them into the marinade too.
Pour marinade over chicken and give it a nice massage to get the it all up in it’s grill.
Cover chicken and stash it in the fridge for a couple of hours to get it’s sexy thang on with the herbs and what not.
Fire up your BBQ.
Roast chicken using indirect heat in a BBQ for 1 hour or so, until fully cooked. Finish directly over the coals for a minute either side if it needs some more colour.
Alternately you could roast chicken in 180 C (360 F) oven for an hour or until fully cooked.
Allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes, then carve and dress with lemon juice and chicken resting juices.
Serve with romesco sauce on the side.

ROMESCO SAUCE

4 red capsicum
4 ripe tomatoes
2 long red chillies
½ bulb garlic
1 cup almonds
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Char grill the capsicum, chilli and tomatoes until starting to blister. Peel if you are not too drunk that you can’t be arsed.
Roast the bulb of garlic in its skin until it starts to soften. Cool slightly and push the cloves from their skin.
While you’re at it, roast the almonds too.
Combine all ingredients, except oil, and blitz or pulverize into a paste.
Slowly emulsify oil into said paste.
Check seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Bask in the glory that is romesco sauce.