INGREDIENTS:

Serves 4–6

2 tbsp sea salt flakes (kosher salt)

2–2.5kg (4lb 8oz–5lb) chicken

2 lemons, quartered lengthways

2 tbsp olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

For the potatoes

1kg (2lb 4oz) small new potatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

sea salt flakes (kosher salt)

For the gravy

2 whole garlic bulbs

1 carrot, sliced into 1cm (½in) discs

2 bay leaves

250ml (9fl oz/1 cup) white wine

1 tsp Marmite (yeast extract)

2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)

50g (1¾oz) fresh basil, leaves and finer stalks, chopped

1. Ideally, the night before you want to cook, sprinkle sea salt all over the chicken, including a little inside the cavity, and rub all over. Place on a rack over a tray and slide into the fridge, uncovered, to dry brine overnight.

2. When you are ready to cook, fire up the barbecue ready for indirect roasting, setting up two small fires on either side to create an even heat.

3. Adjust the air vents to maintain a temperature of about 160°C (320°F).

4. Squeeze the lemon quarters roughly over the chicken, then tuck the shells inside the cavity. Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken, rubbing in well, then season generously with black pepper and set aside.

5. For the potatoes, use a sharp knife to slice through each potato, about 5mm (¼in) apart, being careful not to cut all the way through. Toss into a small roasting tin or frying pan (skillet) where they will fit in a single snug layer. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

6. Set a large roasting tin on the base of the barbecue between the two fires. Add the garlic bulbs, carrot, bay leaves, white wine and top up with 300ml (10fl oz/1¼ cups) cold water. Put the grill bars in place and set the meat on top over the tin. Tuck the tin of potatoes onto the grill bars at one end of the chicken so they can start to cook indirectly. Shut the lid.

7. Roast the chicken for around 1½ hours, or until it has reached an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F) when probed in a few places. I find the deepest bit of breast takes longest, so check there. Check the potatoes every 20–30 minutes, giving them a shake to ensure even cooking. Rotate the chicken if one side is browning more than the other.

8. Once the chicken is done, carefully lift with tongs and tip the cavity juices into the tin below, then remove to a plate. Cover with a few clean dish towels and let it rest while you finish the potatoes and gravy.

9. Move the potatoes to one side while you remove the grill bars and carefully remove the tray with the stock. Set the grill bars back in place and then return the tray of potatoes to the grill, this time over direct heat to crisp up. Shut the lid and cook for another 15–20 minutes, tossing occasionally to ensure even browning.

10. To make the gravy, transfer the tin inside and set over a medium heat on the stove. Stir through the Marmite and bring to the boil, mashing the garlic up a little with the back of a wooden spoon to release extra flavour.

11. In a small glass, mix the cornflour with just enough cold water to make a thin paste, then whisk into the gravy to thicken for a few minutes. Strain into a pan, then stir through the basil and season to taste. Carve the chicken and serve alongside the potatoes and gravy.

What you’ve learned:

» Two fires create an even roasting heat, which is perfect for roasting large joints of meat.

» A tray under the chicken catches drips for a deeply flavoured gravy.

» Cooking to temperature not time guarantees safe, juicy chicken.

» A combination of indirect and direct heat means the hasselback potatoes are soft inside and super crispy outside.

How to adapt to different kit:

» For kamado-style cookers, set up indirect cooking with the heat deflector plates in place and a roasting tin for the stock on top of them. Then the chicken goes on the grill bars over the tin.

» For gas barbecues, if you have a three-burner, fire up either end, with the chicken in between. If you have two burners, light one and set the chicken over the other – you will need to rotate halfway through so both sides get an even heat. If you can, place the roasting tin for the stock on top of the middle burner to catch all the drips from the chicken on the grill bars above. If not, cook the chicken in the tin.

» For fire pits, you need a lid to trap in the hot air and turn the barbecue into an oven, so this isn't a recipe for open fire cooking.

» For inside cooking using the oven, roast the chicken, stock and potatoes at 160°C fan/180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

INGREDIENTS:

Serves 2–4 depending on hunger or greed

4 x 2cm (¾in) thick brioche loaf slices

200ml (7fl oz/1 scant cup) milk, or a mixture of milk and single (light) cream

4 large eggs

2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

25g (1oz) butter

For the cherries

250g (9oz) cherries

½ lemon, juiced

1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar

To serve

per slice – a dollop of full-fat Greek yogurt or crème fraîche, or a little lightly whipped double (heavy) cream

50g (1¾oz) shelled pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped

Lay the bread slices in a snug, single layer in a baking dish.

Pour the milk (or milk and cream combo) into a jug and crack in the eggs. Add the caster sugar and vanilla extract and whisk together until smooth. Pour over the bread slices. Set aside to soak for 20–30 minutes, carefully turning the slices over halfway, or until the liquid has completely soaked into the bread.

Fire up the barbecue so it’s ready for hot direct grilling.

Tip the cherries into a small roasting tin so they fit in a single, fairly snug layer. Drizzle over the lemon juice and sprinkle over the caster sugar, shaking the tin a little to mix. If you are adding a splash of booze (see intro), add it now, too.

Set the tin of cherries on the grill bars over the fire and roast for about 10 minutes, shaking the tin halfway through to mix them about a little to make sure they are roasting evenly. Slide the cherries away from the fire to keep warm while you cook the toast.

Set a heavy-based plancha or frying pan (skillet) over the fire and leave to get hot for a good 10 minutes.

Once the plancha or pan is hot, add the butter and use a fish slice to drag it around and coat the plancha or pan as it melts. Lay the soaked brioche on the plancha or pan and cook for 2–3 minutes each side, or until golden and crisp.

Set the cooked brioche onto warmed plates, dollop on your chosen dairy and spoon over the cherries and juices. Scatter over the pistachios and tuck in.