Chargrilled chicken, nectarine pickle & pistachio dukkah
If I need to take something to a barbecue I like to do all the hard work beforehand. Making a jar of this pickle a few days ahead turns the nectarines a vivid mauve-red. The dukkah can be made ahead and if you’ve cut and marinated the chicken the day before, then you only have to barbecue the chicken and fennel on the day (or alternatively use chicken thighs or drums instead, which you’d need to cook for a longer time). I’ve used nectarines for the pickle, but substitute with other stone fruit such as plums or peaches if needs be.
FOR THE CHICKEN
1 whole chicken (or use bone-in, skin-on
chicken thighs or drums)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, mashed with a little salt 1 tablespoon ras el hanout (I used Alexandra’s) pinch of chilli flakes (optional)
Bone the chicken, keeping the skin on. Cut off the legs, separate the thigh and drum and remove the bones, cutting each piece into two. Remove the breasts and cut each breast into three pieces. Discard the wing tips but keep the rest of the chicken wings on the bone (keep the tips and all the bones for making a stock for another use). Combine the oil with the garlic, ras el hanout and chilli flakes and rub into the chicken. Marinate for a minimum of 1 hour, but ideally overnight. Season generously with salt and grill skin-side down for 10-15 minutes over a medium-low heat, flipping over halfway through (and removing the pieces as they finish cooking). Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving with the salad.
FOR THE NECTARINE PICKLE
¾ cup sugar
½ cup white wine vinegar 1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cinnamon quill
½ teaspoon pink peppercorns 3 nectarines, peaches or plums
Heat the sugar, white wine vinegar, salt, cinnamon and peppercorns in a saucepan with ½ cup water. Bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar and lower the heat. Cut the nectarines into wedges (if using peaches, cut a cross at the base and blanch in boiling water for a minute and then remove and discard the skin before cutting up) and cook gently for 5 minutes, then leave in the syrup until required. Will keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.
FOR THE DUKKAH
¼ cup pistachios (or a mix of nuts such
as almonds, hazelnuts)
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (white, black or a mix) ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon sea salt
Toast the nuts in a dry pan (or in an oven), set aside to cool then chop finely. Toast the sesame seeds until golden and set aside. Toast cumin and coriander seeds for about 1 minute until fragrant. Cool slightly then grind the spices in a mortar and pestle. Mix together all the ingredients. Keep in an airtight container.
TO SERVE
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 fennel bulbs, halved and sliced thinly
(use a mandolin)
100g rocket labneh or Greek yoghurt flatbread
For the dressing, combine the Dijon mustard with 2 tablespoons of the nectarine pickle liquor and the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Grill the fennel for a few minutes on each side until lightly charred and softened. Toss with the dressing, add the rocket leaves and season generously. Smear some labneh or thick Greek yoghurt on a serving platter and top with the salad leaves. Add the chicken pieces and the nectarine pickle slices and scatter over the dukkah. Serve with flatbread.