BBQ Rose Harissa Chicken with Moroccan Carrot Salad

To make the marinade, in a small bowl mix the rose harissa, lemon juice and salt until well combined. Take out just under half of the marinade and set aside for brushing on the chicken while cooking. Place the chicken on a tray or large plate and use your hands to apply the marinade all over the outside of the chicken, but also try to get some inside where the skin comes away from the flesh. Cover with clingfilm or parchment paper and place in the fridge to marinate for at least a few hours, or ideally overnight. Take out and turn over a couple of times if you can and re-apply any marinade that has dripped off.

About an hour before you want to cook the chicken (so around the time you get a charcoal BBQ going), remove it from the fridge and take off the cover to allow the air to let it dry. As it is a whole chicken, the aim is to cook it on indirect heat, so that the meat has time to cook through without the skin being completely burnt. The chicken will have plenty of time to build up colour and a crispy outside, so have patience.

Start cooking the chicken flesh side down (what would be the inside of the chicken) first whilst the coals are hot and cook for around 25 minutes, moving the chicken away from any flames that might rise. Keep the lid on if possible, so that the BBQ becomes like a grill and an oven. After this time, turn the chicken over and cook for around 20 minutes, again moving the chicken away from any flames and keeping the lid on, if possible, as this helps the smoke build up and give the chicken a strong BBQ flavour. Every 5 minutes, brush the remaining marinade over the skin to build up a lovely deep red colour. Use a meat probe to test to see if the chicken is cooked, it should be above 65C. Alternatively, push a meat skewer into the thickest part of the breast and leg and then touch the tip to the underside of your bottom lip. If it feels very hot, then it is done. If necessary, cook the chicken for longer. When cooked, remove from the grill and rest on a plate for 10 minutes before serving. Cut into joints and pour any juices that have collected over the top.

To make the carrot salad, place the carrots in a pan full of well salted water, bring to the boil and cook till very soft, around 20-25 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for 5-10 minutes, then remove the stalks and place on a chopping board or large bowl.

Use a fork to crush the carrots into a rough paste. Add the garlic, olive oil, cumin, cinnamon, preserved lemon, lemon juice and salt then mix well and taste. Finely chop the parsley and mint and stir into the carrot mix just before serving with the chicken.