Beau Vestal of New Rivers
It’s About Good Food and Family at Providence’s Acclaimed Locavore Restaurant
“Love People, Cook Them Tasty Food” reads the sign above one of the refrigerated cases in the kitchen at New Rivers R...
Perfect for a late-summer evening around the grill. Choose the ripest tomatoes you can find as they provide the most character, especially if you opt for a few different heirloom varieties. The reserved tomato glaze adds the perfect sweet and acidic lacquer on the smoky grilled chicken.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4-6 Serving(s)
Grilled Chicken
- 1 (4 pound) whole spatchcocked chicken (backbone removed, then flattened)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons za’atar spice
- 1 tablespoon ground sumac
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Tomato glaze (see right)
Crushed Tomato and Feta and Mint Salad
- 3 pounds assorted well-ripened heirloom tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 6 ounces (1½ cups) Narragansett Creamery
- Salty Sea Feta, crumbled
- 3 bunches fresh mint, stemmed and chopped
- 3 tablespoons good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
Tomato glaze
- Reserved liquid from tomato salad
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
Summer Herb Couscous
- 2 cups dry couscous
- 1½ pints (3 cups) homemade or low-sodium chicken stock or water
- 1 cup loosely packed chopped summer herbs (parsley, basil, tarragon, mint, etc.)
Preparation
Rinse and pat dry spatchcocked chicken and place it in a large mixing bowl or baking dish. Combine olive oil, za’atar, sumac, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper to taste and whisk together to form a light paste. Rub paste liberally all over bird. Cover and marinate for 1 hour (or overnight in the refrigerator).
For the tomato salad, core and roughly chop tomatoes into ¾-inch pieces and place in a large bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons kosher salt and gently massage the tomatoes, allowing the juices to flow. Place tomatoes with liquid into a colander set over a bowl. Allow tomatoes to drain for 30 minutes and reserve the tomato liquid for the glaze (see right). To serve, combine salted tomatoes with feta cheese, chopped mint, olive oil and cracked pepper.
Preheat grill to medium-hot or prepare coals. Place chicken on grill, baste with tomato glaze and allow to cook 4 to 5 minutes. Turn bird over and repeat. Continue to turn over and baste every 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer (about 25 minutes total). Remove to a clean sheet pan, tent loosely with foil, and allow to rest 10 to 15 minutes. Cut chicken into pieces: thigh, leg, wing and breast piece. (Note: Chicken can otherwise bake in a 400°F oven for approximately 45 minutes. Be sure to baste several times to build the glaze on the chicken.)
Tomato glaze:
Strain to remove seeds, then whisk tomato liquid with honey and olive together in a bowl. Reserve for glazing the grilled chicken.
Summer Herb Couscous:
Place couscous in a medium heat-proof mixing bowl. Boil stock and pour hot liquid over couscous and cover tightly with plastic wrap. When couscous has absorbed all the liquid, approximately 15 minutes, add chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper. Using a fork, fluff the couscous salad, combining the herbs.
About this recipe
WINE PAIRING: 7 Siete Rosato—The tomatoes, feta and spices in the dish will marry beautifully with this rosé from Spain made from the grape Garnacha. It has a soft fruitiness without being sweet. It has plenty of acid without being tart, which will work wonders with the acid in the tomato glaze and crushed tomatoes. The mint in the salad will add some zest to the beautiful raspberry notes of the wine. Enjoy with a slight chill.
—Jessica Granatiero, The Savory Grape, East Greenwich
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