Charcoal-Smoked Spatchcock Pollo a la Brasa with Twice-Cooked Fries

Method

1. Blend the garlic, soy sauce, lime juice, ají panca, most of the ají amarillo (keep about a third for the sauce), cumin, oregano, pepper, salt, brown sugar, beer and oil into a smooth paste.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves 4Soy sauce 2 tbspLime juice 20 mlAjí panca paste 1½ tbspAjí amarillo paste (Peruvian yellow chilli paste) 1 tbspGround cumin 1 tspDried oregano ½ tspGround black pepper ½ tspCoarse sea salt 1½ tspBrown sugar 1 tspDark beer 80 mlVegetable oil 1½ tbsp

2. For a whole bird, spatchcock it: place breast down, cut along both sides of the backbone with sturdy scissors and remove it, then turn the bird over and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten. Pat dry, loosen the skin and rub the marinade under and over it. Refrigerate uncovered on a rack, skin up, for 12 h; the cold air dries the skin so it crisps on the grill.

   Add in this stepChicken, bone-in with skin (leg quarters or half a bird for 1–2; a whole bird for 3–4) 900 g

3. Light the charcoal in a chimney and, when it is covered in grey ash, pile it on one side of a kettle grill (indirect heat). Put the lid on with the vents half open and wait about 20 min until the lid thermometer settles at 200 °C. Never use charcoal indoors or in a tent.

4. Throw the rosemary onto the coals and set the chicken skin side up on the side without coals. Close the lid and cook for 40 min, turning the grate once so both sides colour evenly. When the thickest part of the thigh reaches 75 °C, move it skin side down over the coals for 3 min to crisp and char the skin; watch it, as flare-ups burn fast. The grill heat is charcoal (medium heat).

   Add in this stepFresh rosemary sprigs 1

   charcoal (medium heat)

5. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into 1 cm sticks and rinse. Put them into a 20 cm pot of salted water, bring to the boil on high heat and simmer for 6 min, until the edges just start to soften. Drain carefully, spread on a rack to steam-dry and cool for 15 minutes; dry surfaces make the crispest fries.

   Add in this stepFloury potatoes 450 g

   high heat

6. Heat the oil in a deep 20 cm pot over medium-high heat to 160 °C. Fry the potatoes in batches for 5 min per batch, until a pale crust forms, and drain on a rack. Raise the oil to 190 °C and fry again for 3 min per batch until deep golden. Drain and season with flaky salt. Keep a lid at hand and never leave the oil.

   Add in this stepOil for deep-frying 1,200 mlFlaky salt (for the fries) to taste

   medium-high heat

7. Make two sauces. Ají verde: blend the seeded jalapeño, coriander, mint, cheese, about two-thirds of the mayonnaise, the lime juice and garlic until smooth. Ají amarillo mayo: stir the remaining ají amarillo into the rest of the mayonnaise.

   Add in this stepJalapeño 1Fresh coriander 15 gFresh mint (stands in for Peruvian huacatay) 6 gQueso fresco or feta 25 gMayonnaise (for both sauces) 5 tbspLime juice (for the sauce) 2 tspGarlic clove (for the sauce) ½Ají amarillo paste (Peruvian yellow chilli paste) ½ tbsp

8. Rest the chicken on a board for 10 min, then cut it into quarters with a heavy knife and serve with the fries and both sauces.