Jerk Chicken with Watermelon Salad

Summertime brings to mind a number of things, among them spicy barbeque and icy cold watermelon. This dish combines these taste treats.

Ingredients:

  • 6 scallions, chopped
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 inch ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 4 habanero chiles, stemmed and seeded and chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 3 teaspoons ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 4 tablespoons brown sugar
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 whole skin-on, bone-in chicken legs and thighs

Cooking Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients except chicken in a food processor and run until smooth. Place chicken in a 9×13 baking dish and pour marinade over, mixing to make sure marinade is under the skins. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
  2. Barbecue over moderate heat so skins won’t burn, about 40 minutes. Transfer to plate and serve with watermelon salad.

WATERMELON SALAD

Ingredients:

  • 1 small, chilled seedless watermelon, cut into 1 inch dice
  • 1 bunch basil, shredded
  • 6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
  • Pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions

  1. In a large, chilled salad bowl mix the top three ingredients.
  2. Season to taste.
  3. Serve with jerk chicken.

This is a dish that celebrates summer, as does the Taft Street 2012 Russian River Valley Rose of Pinot Noir. Try them together.

Serves 6-8