Jerk Chicken on the Barbecue

Loathe to let the unforgiving British weather dictate my weekend plans, I went ahead with my barbecue last Sunday, despite the heavy rain and harsh wind. After all, there is no better way to cook jerk chicken than over hot charcoal. Fortunately, having a balcony off the dining room means we can cook outside and eat inside!

A jerk marinade can elevate the humble chicken to something wonderful. It's important to marinade overnight so that the flavours can penetrate the flesh as much as possible. Spatchcocking a chicken can seem like a daunting task, but a pair of good kitchen scissors and a cleaver make it easier.  Just cut through the parson's nose, all the way down the spine (which you should remove along with the ribcage and cartilage). Here's a demonstration: Spatchcock a chicken.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

1 large chicken, spatchcocked 

For the jerk marinade

1 bunch spring onions, chopped

4 red chillies, seeds removed and chopped

2 tbsp thyme leaves

2 tbsp allspice berries

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp black peppercorns

2 tbsp agave nectar

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

Juice of 1 lime

Method

In a food processor, blitz the allspice and peppercorns to a fine powder. Add the rest of the ingredients and blitz until you have a thick paste.

Place the spatchcocked chicken into a large, shallow dish and massage in the marinade, making sure to distribute some underneath the skin. Cover with cling film and place in the fridge overnight, to allow the flavours to permeate. 

Technically this could be cooked in the oven (at 180°C for around an hour) but you would be missing out on the tasty chargrilled skin, so it's worth breaking out the barbecue. On mine, this takes around an hour. We cook it with the lid on to get lots of lovely smokiness in the flavour. For cooking time, as all barbecues are different, what you should be looking for is for the juices to run clear when probed.

All this needs is some buttery baked potatoes and a large napkin. Enjoy!

Banana Nut Loaf

As much as I love bananas I can't bear to eat one that has gone even slightly black. I think this is a hangover of often finding a long forgotten one mushed up in amongst the books in my schoolbag... *shudders*. Instead of confining these tasty treats to the compost box, I made a loaf cake out of them. In baking, the riper the banana the better. At this stage their natural sweetness is at its peak, making them ideal for cakes. I add nuts to my batter, as I love how their woody notes compliment the sweetness of the banana. A warm slice of this with a cup of freshly ground coffee is like a little bit of everyday heaven.

Ingredients 

3 ripe bananas, mashed up

100g unsalted butter, at room temperature

200g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 eggs

120g caster sugar

100g nuts (I used Brazils, almonds and walnuts) roughly chopped.

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp mixed spice

Pinch of salt

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C and grease a 1lb loaf tin.

Using a wooden spoon, or an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until well combined.

Sift the flour with the salt, baking powder and spice and add this to the egg mixture gradually, until a batter forms.

Using a spoon, stir in the bananas, honey and nuts until evenly distributed.

Place the batter in the loaf tin and bake in the oven for 1hr- 1hr 15 mins, until the cake is golden and feels springy to the touch.

Allow to cool slightly before serving. This keeps well for up to three days in an airtight container.

  

Nuts about Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has soared in popularity lately, and rightly so. It is infinitely useful - I use it to condition my hair, cleanse my face, as a mouthwash and in the bath when my skin needs some extra TLC. Not all coconut oils are equal though - here are my thoughts on the ones I've tried so far.

Superdrug Coconut Oil £2.29 125ml

This was the first coconut oil that I tried and I bought it without paying much attention to the ingredients. I assumed that all coconut oil was the same, but further research told me that hydrogenated oils (like this one) block pores, making them unsuitable for facial cleansing. The instructions also say that it isn't for "internal consumption" so unfortunately it can't be used for oil swilling either. It's not all bad though - this oil is fine to use as an intensive hair mask. As with all coconut oils, a little goes a long way, so it is good value and an effective conditioner. I'll keep using this until it runs out, but most likely won't repurchase as I'm not fond of the artificial coconut scent it contains.

2/5

Biona Organic Coconut Virgin Oil (Raw) £4.49 200g

This is my favourite oil as it ticks ALL the boxes. It is carefully produced, with no pasteurisation or bleaching and it is cold pressed, meaning the oil is as natural as possible. It has a beautiful, naturally occurring coconut fragrance and it really is a pleasure to use. After over a month of having this oil and using it in so many ways every day, I've yet to make a dent in the jar. It is a wonderful cleanser and leaves skin feeling soft and supple. It's nonhydrogenated so it won't block pores like some other coconut oils. I'll definitely repurchase this if the jar ever runs out - it's my coconut oil holy grail

5/5

Cocofresh Coconut Oil £1.59 250ml

I picked this up on impulse at my local green grocers. The packaging is pretty coy about the processing of the product - it simply claims to be "100% Pure Coconut Oil". As I don't know whether it's hydrogenated or not I avoid cleansing with it, but have found it really good to use on hair and for shaving my legs. It is an absolute bargain, so I would recommend it for everywhere but the face. 

3/5