Shredded Roast Harissa Chicken

 

First, make the Harissa paste.  This can be done in advance.  The paste will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for 2 months.

Roast the coriander, cumin and fennel seeds in a dry pan for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Tip the spice mix into a blender or pestle and mortar and grind to a fine powder. Then transfer to a bowl. Add the garlic, onion, chillies, red pepper and olive oil to the blender and blitz to a paste.

Tip paste into a shallow pan and cook for 15 minutes until it reaches a jammy consistency, stirring constantly towards the end. Stir in the spices and 1.5 tsp salt, and remove from heat.

Llight a full chimney of charcoal briquettes and leave for 15 minutes. Tip into 2 kidney baskets and separate them, one at either edge of the BBQ kettle. Place the grid on top and place the lid on, ensure the vents are all open. When it reaches 200c the BBQ is ready for cooking

To prepare the chicken, wipe the chicken all over and inside with kitchen paper and season all over with the sea salt and pepper. Smear the harissa all over, making sure you get into all the nooks and crannies, even inside the cavity.

Open the can of beer and pour out half the beer (tip into a glass to drink!) and leave the rest in the can, as it will keep the chicken moist while it cooks. Pop the chicken onto the can, legs down, so that it looks like it is sitting upright with the can in its cavity. Stand the chicken and can upright on the barbecue, either in the roasting tin or directly on the grill, on the side with no coals. Close the lid and cook for 1 hr 20 minutes until the chicken is browned, the meat tender and the juices run clear. If the juices aren’t clear, cook for a further 10 minutes, then check again. I added to handfuls of soaked cherry wood chips directly on to the coals to give the chicken 20 minutes of smoking, this makes such a delicious finish. Once cooled slightly, shred the chicken and serve on top of a thick base of hummus and the carrot and orange salad. It is so delicious!

Serves 4

Ingredients

Harissa Paste

  • 3 tbsp each coriander, cumin and fennel seeds
  • 15 garlic cloves
  • ½ large red onion, roughly chopped
  • 15 red chillies, deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 large red pepper, roughly chopped
  • 100ml olive oil

The Chicken

  • 1 medium sized chicken approximately weighing 1.5Kg
  • a 330ml can of lager
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons of harissa (above)