Apricot and rum butter barbecue chicken with deep-fried potato salad

Prepare: 30 mins to 1 hour
Cook: 30 mins to 1 hour
Serve: Serves 4–6
Dietary: Nut-free

A perfect recipe for a summer’s day, the rum and apricots add a sunshine feel to grilled chicken. And no summer party or barbecue is complete without this take on a potato salad.

By Andi Oliver

From Saturday Kitchen

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Ingredients

For the butter

3 apricots, roughly chopped
2 onions, roughly chopped
2 heads garlic, tops removed
8 cherry tomatoes on the vine
2 red chillies, left whole
olive oil, for roasting
80ml/2¾fl oz gold rum
250g/9oz butter, chopped
1 tbsp runny honey
salt

For the chicken

20g/¾oz all-purpose seasoning
4–6 chicken thighs, boneless, skin on
150ml/5fl oz
green seasoning

For the potato salad

4 potatoes (King Edward, Maris Piper or Russet), cut into bite-sized pieces
flour or cornflour, for frying
2 hard-boiled free-range egg yolks
1 tsp English or Dijon mustard
1 tbsp caster sugar
splash white wine vinegar
150ml/5fl oz double cream or crème fraîche
1 lemon, juice only
splash full-fat milk (optional)
10g fresh chives, finely chopped
5g spring onion tops, finely chopped
salt and white pepper

For the green salad

2 heads Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated
200g/7oz fresh peas, some podded, some chopped
10g fresh mint, torn
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juice only
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

To make the butter, preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3½.
Place the apricots, onions, garlic, tomatoes and chillies in a roasting tray. Season generously with salt and drizzle with the oil.
Roast for approximately 35 minutes, or until tender and deeply coloured. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cool, remove the vine from the tomatoes, squeeze the garlic out of its skin and remove the stalk from the chillies.
Transfer the cooled vegetables to a blender. Add the rum, butter and honey and blend until smooth.
Spoon into a bowl, cover and set aside until ready to baste the chicken.
To make the chicken, season the chicken with the all-purpose seasoning and marinate in the green seasoning for at least 30 minutes–1 hour in the fridge.
To make the potato salad, place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5–7 minutes, until just beginning to soften.
Drain well and gently shake the potatoes in a colander to rough up the edges.
Place in a bowl, dust with flour or cornflour and gently toss to coat. Cover with clingfilm and chill until cool.
Fill a deep-fat fryer or a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan two-thirds full with the oil. Heat to 180C (a cube of bread should turn brown in one minute when dropped in.) CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended. Deep-fry the potatoes for 2–3 minutes, until golden and crisp, then transfer to drain on kitchen paper.
To make the potato salad cream, mash the egg yolks, mustard, a pinch of salt, sugar and a splash of vinegar in a bowl until smooth.
Gradually whisk in the cream and lemon juice until beautifully smooth and creamy.
Add more vinegar and a splash of milk if you prefer a thinner, more pourable consistency.
Stir through half the chives and season with salt and white pepper.
Fold a generous amount of the salad cream through the potatoes and garnish with the remaining chives and spring onion tops. Set aside.
To cook the chicken, place a griddle pan over a medium heat.
Place the chicken skin-side down and cook for around 4 minutes until golden.
Turn over and brush generously with the rum butter mixture.
Continue turning and basting every few minutes until the chicken is cooked through, golden and succulent. The chicken is cooked through when the juices run clear with no trace of pink when the thickest part is pierced with a skewer.
To make the green salad, toss the lettuce leaves, peas and mint together in a large bowl. Dress with the oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the chicken alongside the potato salad and green salad.