Pollo al mattone with peach and barley salad

SERVES 6 // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 30 MINS

6 chicken Marylands

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 cup firmly packed mint leaves

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

100 ml extra-virgin olive oil

12 rosemary sprigs

200 gm (1 cup) pearl barley

2 tsp Dijon mustard

1 each yellow and white peaches, cut into thin wedges

60 gm Sicilian green olives, pitted, halved

50 gm caperberries, half thinly sliced, half whole

50 gm finely grated truffle pecorino (see note), plus extra to serve

1 Make 4 slashes crossways into skin of each chicken Maryland. Grind garlic, ½ cup mint leaves, lemon zest and 1 tsp salt flakes in a mortar and pestle until finely ground, then stir in 2 tbsp each olive oil and lemon juice, and season mixture with freshly ground pepper. Transfer half the mixture to a small bowl; set aside. Rub chicken with remaining mixture.

2 Wrap three house bricks with foil. Place on a barbecue and heat barbecue to medium (180˚C). Place chicken in groups of two, slashed-side down, cover each with 2 sprigs rosemary then with a brick, and grill until char marks appear. Turn chicken, replace rosemary and brick, and grill until cooked through (8-10 minutes).

3 Meanwhile, cook barley in lightly salted boiling water until tender with a chewy texture (25 minutes). Drain well and cool. Whisk remaining lemon juice, mustard and ¼ cup olive oil into reserved mint mixture until combined. Season to taste. Toss barley with dressing, olives, caperberries, truffle pecorino and remaining mint leaves.

4 Divide barley salad between plates and top with peach and chicken. Scatter with extra pecorino.

Note If Truffle pecorino is unavailable, substitute pecorino or parmesan.