Name: Greek-style barbecued spatchcock with lemon and pepper
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 50 gm butter; 200 ml chicken stock; 1 head of garlic, halved; 2 spatchcocks (about 500gm each), butterflied; 50 ml extra-virgin olive oil; 1 lemon, halved; Thinly sliced long red chilli in extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Greek-style barbecued spatchcock with lemon and pepper

Don't be afraid of cooking this poultry. It grills beautifully on the barbecue.

Serves 4

Prep

Cook

40M

Total

45M

“We use Thirlmere chickens and spatchcocks,” says Jonathan Barthelmess of Greca and The Apollo. “They’re so tender, have a good breast-to-thigh ratio, and cook beautifully over the barbecue.”

Ingredients

50 gm butter

200 ml chicken stock

1 head of garlic, halved

2 spatchcocks (about 500gm each), butterflied

50 ml extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, halved

Thinly sliced long red chilli in extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Method

1.Preheat oven to 160°C and a barbecue or char-grill pan to high. Add butter, stock and garlic, cut-side down, to a flameproof roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, season spatchcock, drizzle with oil and grill, skin-side down first and turning once, until golden (2-3 minutes each side).

2.Transfer spatchcock, skin-side up, to roasting pan, add lemon, cut-side down, and roast until spatchcock is cooked and juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a skewer (10-15 minutes).

3.Joint spatchcock with a sharp knife and transfer to a platter with roasted garlic and lemon. Spoon over roasting juices, season to taste with freshly ground pepper and serve with chilli in oil.