Barcelos Flame Grilled Chicken, Pietermaritzburg

The idealisation of the Barcelos rooster derives from a legend concerning a Gallego who was sentenced to hang, despite his protests of innocence. In a last minute appeal to the judge, who was enjoying dinner at the time, the condemned man made a bold statement: If this claim of innocence was true, the roasted rooster on the judge's plate would get up and crow. Suddenly, a gorgeous scarlet-plumed cockerel rose from the plate, crowing loud and long. As important as the Barcelos Legend is, so is the marinade recipe used for Barcelos Chicken, which is so old its origins cannot be traced. Using the finest quality chickens, Barcelos Chickens are marinated for 24 hours and then flame grilled to absolute perfection.