Chicken wings with a grapefruit, tamarind and lime leaf dressing Salty dogs with basil and tarragon

Prep time: 25 minutes, plus infusing time Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves 4

Makrut lime leaves are key to the flavour of this aromatic dressing, and they do need to be fresh rather than dried. Buy them in south-east Asian grocery shops in the freezer section, in larger supermarkets or online, then stash them in your own freezer where they’ll keep for yonks.

This dish really pings around your palate – perfumed lime, sweet honey and sour tamarind, plus plenty of vibrant herbs. It also works just as well with Tenderstem broccoli.

The dressing and shallots can both be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated.

INGREDIENTS For the dressing

– 200ml pink grapefruit juice (from about 2 pink grapefruits)

– 10 fresh lime leaves,

torn

– 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the side of a knife

– 1 tbsp fish sauce

– 2 tsp tamarind paste

– 3 tbsp honey

For the pickled shallots

– 50ml rice vinegar

– 2 tsp caster sugar

– 1 tsp sea salt

– 2 small shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings

For the chicken

– 15 chicken wings, jointed to make 30 pieces, or 400g Tenderstem broccoli – neutral oil, for cooking – 1 fresh red chilli, very

thinly sliced, to serve – handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped, to serve – handful of coriander leaves, to serve

METHOD

Put the grapefruit juice, lime leaves and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, then set aside to infuse for 1 hour, if possible (although 15 minutes is better than nothing).

Strain to remove the lime leaves and garlic.

For the quick pickled shallots, combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt with 120ml tap-hot water and stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the shallot rings and set aside.

Add the fish sauce, tamarind and honey to the grapefruit juice and return to a high heat until reduced by half. Decant a quarter of the dressing into a separate bowl.

When you’re ready to cook the wings, prepare a barbecue for two-zone cooking with the coals positioned in the centre (to make a hot zone, with a cooler zone surrounding it). If using broccoli, you can just bank the coals to one side.

If using chicken, rub the wings with a little oil and season with plenty of salt. Place on the barbecue in a ring around the coals – they should be nice and close to the coals so that they cook slowly but are not over direct heat. Cook the wings for 20-30 minutes, or until crisp all over and cooked through. You can move the wings closer to the coals as they burn down, then give them a crisp up directly over the coals at the end. When the wings are nearly ready, toss with the small bowl of reserved dressing and return to the barbecue briefly to caramelise.

If using broccoli, toss with a little oil and season with salt. Grill over direct heat, turning each piece often, for 3 minutes, or until charred and tender. Toss with the small bowl of reserved dressing and briefly caramelise.

Gently reheat the remaining dressing and pour it over the wings or broccoli, tossing well to combine. Top with the sliced red chilli, herbs and pickled shallots, then give everything a good toss again, just before serving.

To cook indoors: preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6 for the chicken, and roast the wings for 45 minutes, tossing with the small bowl of reserved dressing 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time. For the broccoli, preheat a griddle pan over a high heat for at least 5 minutes then griddle for 8-10 minutes until charred. Toss with the small bowl of dressing then briefly caramelise.

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 5 minutes

Makes 4

I’m a big fan of a long drink with hard liquor in it. Spicy enough to get the party started but an ample amount in the glass to keep people occupied while you sort nibbles. A salty dog is usually made with just grapefruit and gin. I love adding tarragon and basil to mine; the drink becomes something more fragrant and intriguing while remaining, at its core, a mega-refresher. The sugar syrup can be made up to a month in advance and refrigerated.

INGREDIENTS

For the simple syrup (this makes enough for two rounds of drinks) – 200g caster sugar

For the drinks

– 75ml simple syrup – handful of basil leaves – handful of tarragon

leaves

– 200ml gin

– 400ml pink grapefruit

juice

– 3 tsp lime juice, plus

extra to taste

To serve

– lime wedges, for

rimming the glasses – flaky sea salt

– plenty of ice cubes – tarragon leaves – grapefruit peel

METHOD

Make the simple syrup by combining the sugar and 100ml water in a saucepan and heating gently until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool before using (do this over a bowl of ice if you’re in a hurry).

To make the drinks, combine the syrup and herbs in a tall glass or jug and use a cocktail muddler or something long like a rolling pin to push down and twist on the herbs in order to extract the flavour. Really get in there, twisting and mashing.

Rim your serving glasses (tall ones are best) with salt b yrunning a wedge of lime around the top edge. Sprinkle some salt on to a small plate and dip the rims into it. Fill each glass with a few ice cubes.

Add the gin and grapefruit juice to the jug and mix well. Add the lime juice, mix, taste and add more if you like. Pour the drink over the ice into the salt-rimmed glasses and add tarragon leaves and grapefruit peel as a garnish.