POLLO AL DIAVOLO (Italian roasted chicken with black pepper and parsley salad, for four)

one chicken, about 3-1/2 pounds, quartered or cut into 8 pieces

salt

¼ cup freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 cup roughly chopped Italian (flat leaf) parsley

1 red onion, thinly sliced

12 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 tablespoon Sherry vinegar

Olio picante for drizzling

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1. Preheat oven to 450* with rack in upper third.

2. In a small bowl, combine the ¼ cup black pepper, a pinch of salt and the mustard and stir well. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, whisking until blended.

3. Put the chicken skin side down on a paper towel and spread it with about half of the pepper mixture. Film a large skillet with oil and put the chicken inside it in one layer, spice side down. Spread the remaining spice mixture on the skin side of the chicken.

4. Cook on stovetop over high heat for about 5 minutes, place skillet in the oven and roast the chicken uncovered, for about 30 minutes. (Run it under the broiler for a few minutes if it is not sufficiently browned.) Let the chicken rest in the skillet at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

5. While the chicken rests, in a medium bowl, combine the parsley, onion, tomatoes, the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste and toss well. Serve chicken atop the parsley salad, drizzle with the pan juices and the spicy oil and serve immediately.

adapted from Mario Batali, Molto Italiano