Lime, Marmalade, Rum & Chilli Poussins

These Lime Marmalade, Rum and Chilli Poussins by Levi Roots bring serious Caribbean flavour to your table. Marinated for 6 hours in lime, rum, thyme and allspice, then glazed with sticky lime marmalade, honey and chilli before a final BBQ finish. Sweet, smoky, and spicy! Serve with a fresh cucumber, avocado & mint relish for the ultimate balance.

Ingredients

For the marinade

6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 chilli, seeded & finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
grated zest & juice of 4 limes
sea salt flakes
freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp ground allspice
100ml dark or light rum
2 tbsp olive oil

For the glaze

150g lime marmalade
2 red chillies, seeded & chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp clear honey
juice of 1 lime
4 poussins
salt & pepper

Cucumber, avocado and mint relish

½ cucumber
4 tbsp rice vinegar
½ tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp groundnut oil
1 avocado
1 red chilli, seeded and
finely sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
salt and pepper

Method

Print Recipe

FOR THE POUSSINS

First make the marinade. Pound the garlic, chilli, thyme, lime zest, salt & pepper & allspice together with a mortar & pestle.
2. Add the wet ingredients & combine well.
3. Make slits in the birds in places where they won’t be seen – between the legs & the body for example – & coat well with the marinade.
4. Make sure the insides of the birds are coated as well.
5. Cover with clingfilm & chill for about 6 hours, turning the birds every so often.
6. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
7. Lift the poussins out of the marinade & transfer them to a roasting tin.
8. Season with salt & pepper & roast for 30 mins.
9. Remove the poussins from the oven & leave them to cool a little – if you put the glaze on while they’re hot it will just run off.
10. Meanwhile, make the glaze by vigorously stirring everything together.
11. You need some elbow grease here to break down the marmalade.
12. Spread the glaze all over the birds, inside & out & barbecue for 10 mins, turning every so often & brushing with more glaze.
13. Check for doneness – the juices between the legs & body should run clear, with no trace of pink.
14. Brush with a final coat of glaze & serve immediately.

FOR THE CUCUMBER, AVOCADO AND MINT RELISH

Halve the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Slice very finely and set aside in a bowl.
To make the dressing, mix the rice vinegar and sugar together stirring to help the sugar dissolve. Add the groundnut oil and salt and pepper.
Halve the avocado and remove the stone. Cut each half into slices and peel each slice. Cut the avocado flesh into small cubes and add to the cucumber with the dressing. The avocado needs to be dressed immediately or it will go brown.
Add the chilli and mint to the cucumber and avocado and gently toss everything together.
Don’t make this too far in advance – no more than a couple of hours – or it will completely lose its freshness.