Lupa Pollo alla Diavola
(Deviled Roast Chicken with Braised Vegetables)

The "devil's oil" needs to steep overnight, and the chicken halves need to marinate at least four hours, so plan accordingly.

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Devil's Oil

• 1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped jalapeno chiles with seeds (about 4 large)
• 3 tablespoons Hungarian hot paprika
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

Chicken and Vegetables

• 1 cup + 10 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (3 1/2 to 3 3/4 pound) chickens (preferably organic), cut lengthwise in half, backbones removed
• 4 large lemons, thinly sliced into rounds, + 1/2 lemon
• Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
• 1 large sweet onion (such as Maui), cut into 1 inch cubes
• 10 small carrots (about 14 ounces), cut into 1 inch lengths
• 8 large celery stalks, cut into 1 inch lengths
• 3/4 cup low-salt chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

Devil's Oil

1. Combine all ingredients in heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until oil bubbles at edge of pan and thermometer registers 200 degrees F, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Set oil aside overnight to steep.
2. Strain oil through fine sieve into small bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much oil as possible. Season oil to taste with salt. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Chicken and Vegetables

1. Whisk 1 cup olive oil and 1/4 cup pepper in 15 x 10 x 2 inch glass baking dish to blend. Add chicken halves to pepper oil; turn to coat well and arrange in single layer. Tuck lemon slices between and on top of chicken halves. Spoon some pepper oil from dish over chicken halves. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, turning chicken halves occasional.
2. Heat oven to 500 degrees F. Heat 2 heavy large (11 to 12 inch) ovenproof skillets (preferably cast iron) over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to each. Remove chicken halves from pepper oil and discard lemon slices; sprinkle each chicken half with coarse salt and black pepper. Place 2 chicken halves, skin side down, in each skillet. Cook until skin is deep golden brown, about 8 minutes.
3. Place skillets in oven and roast until chicken is cooked through and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
4. Using tongs, turn chicken skin side up in skillets; let rest 5 minutes.
5. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; sauté until celery begins to look translucent, about 8 minutes.
6. Add chicken broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover saucepan and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
7. Mix glaze into vegetables; season with salt and pepper.
8. Spoon vegetables onto platter. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Top with chicken.
9. Serve chicken and vegetables, passing devil's oil separately.

Attribution

Bon Appetit magazine - January 2003 - Lupa - Mario Batali's Roman-style trattoria in New York City, New York