Mario Batali Burns Footwear

ADR has told me that he tends not to read Recipe Monday's all that closely, if at all. But perhaps this one will draw him out, for we know how much he loves the plastic shoe. Some time ago, celebrity chef Mario Batali was asked about his signature Crocs that he usually sports. I will cop to owning a pair - they are good for my feet, I refer to them as my summer slippers. I don't necessarily wear them out of the house though. And now, according to the Washington Post, I might not be able to get a new pair soon.

Batali:

"Crocs are my signature, and I take a beating on your blogs about it! All fashion blogs think these shoes are the ultimate problem. I wear them because they’re the most comfortable thing and I don’t give a f**k about fashion. I like fashion on other people."

Here's a Batali recipe, which he claims to be one of his favorite dishes to make on his days off.

Around my house this simple roasted chicken is one of our favorite things to have on my days off. There are few things more satisfying to eat – or as easy to prepare and clean up – than a whole roasted bird. It's also a great way to use up the flavorful but inedible rinds from prosciutto and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. I love bitter radicchio di Treviso and it is particularly delicious with the pan juices from the roasted onions and chicken splashed over it.

• 1 3 ½- to 4- pound chicken
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 4 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves
• 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2-ounce piece prosciutto rind or bacon
• 2-ounce piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind
• 2 medium red onions, sliced into 1-inch disks
• 3/4 cup Lambrusco or other dry red wine
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 6 large heads radicchio di Treviso
  

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Remove the giblets and set aside.

Combine the garlic, rosemary, black pepper, and sea salt and mix with 3 tablespoons of the extra-virgin olive oil. Run the outside of the chicken all over with the rosemary mixture. Place the prosciutto and cheese rinds inside the cavity, cover and refrigerate for3 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 475ºF.

Place the onion slices and reserved giblets in the bottom of a small, heavy-bottomed roasting pan. Place the chicken on top of the onions, breast side up. Pour the wine over the chicken and rub all over with 1/4 cup of the vinegar. Roast in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a skewer pushed into the thickest part of the thigh shows clear- not bloody- juices. Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.

Preheat the grill or broiler.

Halve the radicchio lengthwise and grill for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Brush with the remaining olive oil and set aside.

Transfer the chicken to a carving platter and degrease the pan juices. Combine the onions and giblets with the pan juices. Carve the chicken, drizzle with the remaining 1/4 cup vinegar, and serve immediately over the radicchio. Pass the giblet gravy separately.