For the sauce vierge, remove stalks from tomatoes and plunge them into boiling water for several seconds. Refresh in iced water and peel off skin with a knife. Cut into quarters, deseed and scoop out the pulp with a spoon, and cut into 2cm dice. Mix diced tomato with all other ingredients in a bowl, then set aside for 1-2 hours.

For potato puree, put potato in a bamboo steamer, add garlic and steam for about 1 hour, or until the potato is cooked. When done, pass the potato and garlic through a food mill, then place in a saucepan over medium heat and stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute until potato begins to steam. Add a little salt and, while stirring continuously, pour in milk. Add butter a bit at a time and stir until purée is smooth. Add pepper, check salt and squeeze lemon into the purée and stir. Set aside while you cook the chicken.

Preheat barbecue. Sprinkle chicken with sea salt and brush with extra virgin olive oil. Cook on grill for 8 minutes skin side down, then turn and cook for 4 minutes. Remove and rest in a warm place for 10 minutes. Put chicken on plates, spoon over sauce, place a dollop of purée on the side and serve.

HOT TIPS

• Use any leftover sauce vierge on breakfast sausages with wilted spinach and sourdough toast - heaven!

• If you want to go the extra mile with the potato puree, push it through a sieve. You won't be disappointed.

SOMETHING TO DRINK

Pinot noir
The vibrant acidity, red cherry fruit and well-balanced oak of Seresin's 2009 Leah Pinot Noir ($40), which hails from New Zealand's Marlborough region, will ensure the barbecue flavour is carried on.

Photography by William Meppem. Styling by Hannah Meppem. Food preparation by Kirsten Jenkins