Nigella Lawson is one of those great cooks who has fabulous ideas that work in the everyday kitchen. I discovered this methodology of hers and use it once a week. The beauty of this method is that it is extremely forgiving. You can use 6-12 drumsticks (or any part of the bird, for that matter). You can use buttermilk or yogurt (although I've found buttermilk to yield chicken that is more tender). You can use lots and lots of cumin. You can substitute honey for maple syrup, or you can omit that part all together. Usually, I just eyeball everything and scoop it into the bag. Enjoy!
Buttermilk Chicken Drumsticks
12 chicken drumsticks (approximately 1.25kg/3lbs total weight)
500ml/17fl oz buttermilk
60ml/2fl oz canola oil, plus 2 tbsp extra for drizzling
2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly crushed
1 tbsp sea salt or 1½ tsp table salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp crushed peppercorns or freshly ground pepper (optional)
1 tbsp maple syrup (optional)
1. Place the chicken drumsticks into a large plastic freezer bag and add the buttermilk and 60ml/2fl oz of canola oil.
2. Add the lightly crushed garlic cloves to the bag along with the crushed peppercorns and salt.
3. Sprinkle in the ground cumin and add the maple syrup, then gently squeeze the bag to mix the marinade ingredients together and coat the chicken.
4. Seal the bag, place it on top of a plate, and leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge, ideally overnight, or out of the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to two hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
6. Take the chicken pieces out of the bag, shaking off the excess marinade, and arrange them in a roasting tin lined with foil.
7. Drizzle over the remaining two tablespoons of oil, then transfer to the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, or until golden-brown and completely cooked through.
