Grilled Chicken Thighs with Tahini

Serves 6

The chicken is most flavorful when grilled over a wood fire, but also tasty prepared on an indoor gas grill or under a broiler. Adapted from "Moro: The Cookbook" by Samuel Clark and Samantha Clark (Ebury, 2001).

    * 2 tablespoons tahini
    * 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    * 3 garlic cloves, minced to a paste with kosher or sea salt
    * 1 teaspoon Spanish pimenton de la Vera (smoked paprika) or other paprika
    * 1 teaspoon toasted and freshly ground cumin seed
    * -- Juice of 1 large lemon
    * 6 bone-in or boneless chicken thighs, skin on
    * -- Kosher salt
    * 1 bunch Italian parsley or arugula
    * 6 lemon wedges

Instructions: In a large bowl, combine the tahini, extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, pimenton, cumin and lemon juice, stirring until blended. Add the chicken thighs and turn to make sure they are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

Preheat a gas grill or broiler. If broiling, position the rack about 10 inches from the heat.

Season the chicken on both sides with salt. Place chicken skin-side down on the grill or on the broiler pan. If grilling, cook until the skin is well browned but do not allow it to scorch; if broiling, cook until the flesh side is well browned. Turn the chicken and cook on the other side until the juices are no longer when pink when the thigh is pierced with a knife and, if broiling, until the skin is crisp. Total cooking time is about 20 minutes - a little more for large bone-in thighs, a little less for boneless chicken.

Serve chicken on a bed of Italian parsley leaves or arugula. Accompany with lemon wedges.


