Lebanese garlic grilled chicken (Farrouj mashwi)

1. Cut the whole chicken along the backbone with kitchen scissors, open it out and press firmly on the breastbone to flatten it.

2. Pound the garlic with the salt to a paste in a mortar, then mix in the juice of the lemons, the olive oil, paprika, thyme and pepper.

3. Rub the marinade thoroughly into both sides of the chicken, also under the skin, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4. Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Lay the chicken skin side up in a roasting tin and roast for 45-50 minutes, basting 2-3 times with the juices.

5. In the last 5 minutes crisp the skin under the grill, then rest for 10 minutes.

6. Serve with toum (garlic sauce), roast potatoes, pickles and Arabic flatbread.

Tip: In Lebanon farrouj mashwi is grilled over charcoal and toum is indispensable alongside. A flattened chicken cooks more evenly and faster than a whole one - on a covered grill it is ready in 35-40 minutes.