In the past I have been accused of falsely claiming not to be hungry. One such incident occurred while visiting my good friend George Estess. While enjoying some wine with George, and recently having eaten, I declined his offer to dine with him; I wasn’t hungry. He was cooking his chicken diavolo, which he had pieced together from an old family recipe and what he had learned on a trip to Italy. I did taste the chicken – strictly for professional purposes, of course. And, as George pointed out, “tasting” half a chicken seemed excessive for someone who wasn’t hungry. Perhaps, but how could I resist such a devilish temptation? The next time I’m not hungry, just throw another chicken in the skillet.
Chicken Diavolo
- 2-3
Ingredients:
1 small free-range chicken
Kosher salt (for brining)
2 teaspoons black pepper
10 cloves garlic, chopped
3 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 lemons
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 bricks (wrapped in foil)
1 bottle Trabucchi Valpolicella
Instructions:
Cut chicken in half and remove backbone. Brine chicken in the refrigerator for 3 hours in a solution of 1 cup kosher salt to a gallon of water. Crack the wine to get into the Italian spirit. In a small nonstick pan, on low heat, sauté the garlic, pepper flakes and black pepper in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 5 minutes, and reserve. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cover with plastic wrap, and beat flat with a mallet. Stuff pepper and garlic mix under skin of chicken. Be sure to get the mix under the legs and wings.
In a large, shallow frying pan, drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil, turn to medium high and place bird in pan. Press meat by placing a flat lid or pie pan smaller than the skillet on chicken and weighting with bricks. Cook for about 15 minutes, remove bricks, turn chicken, replace bricks, and cook for another 15 minutes. Pull out the chicken, toss it onto a serving plate, squeeze the lemons on the chicken and fend for yourself.