Grilled chicken sticks in chicken fat and sesame

SERVES 4-6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 10 MINS

“The nutritional yeast that you mix with the sesame seeds here to flavour the chicken can be found in any health food shop,” says Moyle. “Towards the end of cooking we like to spritz the chicken with sake.” 1 tbsp (10gm) sesame seeds 1 tsp (5gm) nutritional yeast

(see note)

450 gm boneless chicken thighs, skin on

Sake, for spritzing

1 Preheat oven to 170°C. Roast sesame seeds on an oven tray until golden (5-6 minutes), then grind very lightly with a mortar and pestle along with yeast and a pinch of salt.

2 Prepare a barbecue for grilling. Meanwhile, remove skin and fat from chicken and place in a small saucepan over low heat until fat is rendered (20-30 minutes). Cut chicken into 2cm pieces and thread tightly onto skewers (about 70gm a skewer). Grill chicken skewers over very hot coals, turning occasionally and brushing with the rendered fat, until golden brown and just cooked through (4-5 minutes), spritzing with sake in a spray bottle towards the end of cooking. Scatter with the ground sesame and yeast mixture and serve.

Note Nutritional yeast, also known as savoury yeast, is an inactive form of yeast; it’s available from health-food shops.

Wine suggestion Chicken and chardonnay are old friends, but a lighter, crisper, leaner white wine will work better with the fattier bird here. Try the mineral tang of 2015 Sierra de Toloño Blanco from Rioja.