Piri-piri chicken (Frango piri-piri)

1. Cut out the chicken's backbone with kitchen scissors, lay the bird breast-side up on a board and press down firmly with your palm to flatten it; slash the legs and breasts deeply in a few places.

2. Pound the chillies (stems removed), garlic, bay leaves (tough rib removed), smoked paprika and salt to a paste in a mortar or small chopper, then add the lemon juice, vinegar and olive oil.

3. Set aside a third of the marinade in a small bowl for basting; rub the rest thoroughly all over the chicken, under the skin too, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

4. Heat the grill to medium (or the oven to 200 °C), place the chicken skin-side up on a tray or the grate and cook for 25 minutes.

5. Turn it over (in the oven, just turn the tray round) and cook for another 20-25 minutes, basting 2-3 times with the reserved marinade, until the skin is crisp and charred in places and the thickest part of the thigh is cooked through (75 °C).

6. Rest for 5 minutes, cut into pieces and serve with chips and a fresh salad, drizzled with the pan juices.

Tip: Bird's eye chillies are very hot – if you're cautious, start with 3 and scrape out the seeds; in Portugal a bottle of piri-piri oil is put on the table too, so everyone can spice up their own piece.