Name: Pollo agrodolce (aka sweet-and-sour meets peri-peri roast chicken)
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: Italian,Modern Australian
Ingredients: 1.6kg whole chicken; salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper; 1½ tsp smoked sweet paprika; 1 green capsicum,flesh cut off in cheeks; 3 long green chillies; 1 brown onion,peeled and cut into thick rings; 5 garlic cloves,peeled; 1cm slice of ginger; 80ml extra virgin olive oil,plus extra; 120ml white wine vinegar; 10 pickled,hot feferoni chillies; 2 tbsp brined capers; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 2 tbsp dried Greek oregano; 2 tsp fennel seeds; 2 tsp chilli powder; zest of ½ lemon; juice of 1 lemon,to serve

Serve this chicken with chips and greens – and plenty of napkins!William Meppem

Time:1-2 hoursServes:4-6

This is a bit of a cross-pollination of ideas riffing both on peri-peri sauce and the sweet-and-sour balance of Sicilian agrodolce. The charring of the sauce and a good hot roasting gives it a wonderful,lip-smacking,barbecue-like flavour. Take care to properly char the vegetables and don’t skip searing the bird first:it both reduces the roasting time and generates maximum caramelised flavour from the skin. Serve with chips and greens – and plenty of napkins!

Ingredients

1.6kg whole chicken
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
1½ tsp smoked sweet paprika
1 green capsicum,flesh cut off in cheeks
3 long green chillies
1 brown onion,peeled and cut into thick rings
5 garlic cloves,peeled
1cm slice of ginger
80ml extra virgin olive oil,plus extra
120ml white wine vinegar
10 pickled,hot feferoni chillies
2 tbsp brined capers
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp dried Greek oregano
2 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp chilli powder
zest of ½ lemon
juice of 1 lemon,to serve

Method

Step1
Cut the backbone out of the chicken and flatten on a board. Slash the drumsticks and thighs along the bone to ensure even cooking. Season generously with salt and rub with the paprika.
Step2
Using a frying pan or griddle pan placed over high heat,char the capsicum,green chilli,onion,garlic and ginger until blackened all over (about 10 minutes). Then slice roughly.
Step3
Heat a good splash of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sear the chicken,skin-side down,for 20 minutes.
Step4
Preheat the oven to 240C fan-forced (260C conventional).
Step5
Add 80ml oil and the charred vegetable mix to a saucepan and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar,pickled chillies,capers,sugar,oregano,fennel and chilli powder,along with 2 teaspoons of salt and about 20 grinds of pepper;simmer for 8 minutes. Once cooked,blend with the lemon zest until smooth.
Step6
Place the chicken on a lined tray and smother it in the agrodolce sauce. Roast for 25 minutes,skin-side up,then turn the grill on for about 3 minutes to blacken a little.
Step7
Remove from the oven,squeeze over the lemon juice and rest for about 10 minutes before carving,then serve.