This week local is lekker! Hilary is preparing a peri-peri flattie chicken with a naartjie and biltong salad, along with a snack of chakalaka chilli bites. Then who can resist a traditional rusk with their coffee? Hilary shows you how easy it is to make your own.
Ingredients
- Sauce:
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 250ml (1 cup) vegetable oil
- Handful bird’s eye chillies (or to taste)
- 125ml (½ cup) vinegar, plus more if needed
- 125ml (½ cup) lemon juice, plus more if needed
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 bunch fresh coriander
- 30ml (2 tbsp) salt
- 30ml (2 tbsp) paprika
- 30ml (2 tbsp) dried oreganum
- 60ml (¼ cup) Portuguese chicken spice
- 15ml (1 tbsp) brown sugar
- 15ml (1 tbsp) butter
- 15ml (1 tbsp) whisky
- Chicken:
- 1 large flattie (spatchcocked)
- 15ml (1 tbsp) coarse salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 30ml (2 tbsp) dried oreganum
- 1 bay leaf
Method
- Place the onions, garlic and half the oil in a food processor and blend. Start adding chillies according to taste. Add vinegar, lemon juice and oil as you go, but save some to add later. Once you’re happy with the chilli level, add the parsley and coriander and blend. Add more lemon juice and vinegar if necessary to thin the sauce, then add salt, paprika, oreganum and chicken spice. Blend in the sugar, butter and whisky, transfer to a glass bottle and store in the fridge. It will last a few weeks and is sufficient for a dozen chickens.
- Slash the chicken skin, rub with salt and drizzle with lemon juice. Sprinkle with oreganum and place in a roasting dish with the bay leaf and squeezed lemon halves. Leave to marinate for 1 hour. Pour over about 125ml ( cup) of the peri peri sauce and roast breast-side up at 180ºC — or braai breast-side up — for about 45 minutes until chicken is cooked through and skin is crispy.