A Mexican-inspired alfresco meal: Thomasina Miers' creamy tomato toast and smoky spatchcock chicken

The Guardian

a day ago

Jocoque is somewhere between yoghurt, soured cream and labneh, and traditionally made on Mexican ranches from milk that's left to ferment in clay pots. Here, I've used strained greek yoghurt instead, to add depth to these simple tomato toasts and for a creamy balance to the smoky salsa backdrop. It makes a simple and delicious starter for an alfresco dinner. To follow, a simple, spatchcocked chicken slathered in a smoky, brick-red chipotle paste that is mouthwateringly good.
Prep 5 min
Marinate 2 hr+
Cook 1 hr 10 min
Serves 4-61 large head of garlic
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves150ml olive oilSea salt
80g achiote paste
1 tsp brown sugar
3-4 tbsp chipotles en adobo, to taste1 large chicken
To serveLimes, cut into wedgesSoured creamBash the garlic with a rolling pin, slip off the skins and finely chop the cloves with a sharp knife. Empty them into a small pan with the thyme and oil, season with half a teaspoon of sea salt, and heat gently, until the oil starts shimmering and the garlic begins to sizzle. Turn the heat to its lowest setting so that bubbles barely break the surface, and cook for 25 minutes, or until the garlic is soft. (Be careful to keep the heat low or the garlic will burn and become bitter).
Add the achiote, the brown sugar and three tablespoons of the chipotle. Taste, season with salt and add more chipotle if you want more smoke and heat (remember it will be tempered by the chicken and in the cooking).
Meanwhile, to spatchcock the chicken, use a pair of strong scissors to cut along each side of the back bone, then pull it out and discard or save for stock (or ask a butcher to do this for you, though it takes only a few minutes.) Flip over the chicken so it is breast-side up, and press down with your hands to press it down and flatten it. The chicken is now spatchcocked.
Slather half the marinade all over the chicken, then cover and put in the fridge to marinate for a few hours, or overnight (keep the rest of the marinade in the fridge for another time, and for up to a month). An hour or two before you want to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge and leave it to come up to room temperature.
If you're cooking outside, light a chargrill or barbecue. Cook the chicken for 25-30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until the juices run clear when you insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh. If you're cooking indoors, brown the chicken skin side down on a griddle or under a hot grill for 10 minutes, then finish it off in a moderate oven – 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 – for 20 minutes, until cooked through.
Serve with lime wedges and soured cream, plus jacket potatoes, slaw, a nutty, herby quinoa salad or indeed anything else you like to eat in summer.
Prep 10 minDrain 1 hr+
Cook 40 min
Serves 2-4
200g greek yoghurt, or labneh2-3 large ripe tomatoes
Sea salt4 slices sourdough1 small garlic clove, peeled and cut in half1 small handful fresh oregano leaves, chopped
For the smoked chilli oil
45g sesame seeds
150ml olive oil, or rapeseed oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced50g smoky harissa½ tsp cumin seeds15ml cider vinegar
Put the yoghurt in a fine sieve and leave to drain; if you do this overnight, you will get a more cheese-like product, but you will still have a lovely thick spread after leaving it for an hour. Cut the tomatoes into thin wedges, sprinkle with salt and put in a colander.
Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds for the chilli oil in a dry frying pan until fragrant – five to six minutes. Set aside a tablespoon of the seeds and blitz the rest in a small blender.
Put the olive oil in a small saucepan over a very low heat, add the sliced garlic and cook for three to four minutes, until pale golden. Take off the heat, stir in the harissa and cumin, then season with the cider vinegar and some salt. Pour this into the blender with the blitzed sesame seed mix, and blitz. Pour into a bowl, stir in the tablespoon of reserved toasted sesame seeds, then taste and adjust the seasoning as required.
Toast the bread on a chargrill, under the grill or in a toaster. Rub each slice with the halved garlic, drizzle with a little oil, then spread the base with a little of the strained yoghurt. Top with wedges of tomato, spoon over the sesame salsa, scatter with the chopped oregano and serve at once.