- 1/4 cup crumbled dried porcini mushrooms (1/4 ounce)
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (3- to 3 1/2-lb) whole chicken, split in half lengthwise and backbone removed
- Grind porcini to a powder in an electric coffee/spice grinder or blender. Cook garlic in oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and porcini powder and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Tilting skillet, press paste with back of a spoon to separate from oil, then pour off oil from skillet into a small cup and reserve. Transfer paste to a plate and cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare a gas grill for indirect-heat cooking over moderate heat.
- Pat chicken dry and remove excess fat. Working from backbone side of a half chicken, loosen skin over breast and drumstick to form a large pocket, then smear half of paste over meat. Repeat with remaining chicken half and paste. Rub reserved oil all over chicken and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Grill chicken, skin side up, over turned-off burner, covered, without turning, 20 minutes. Turn chicken over and grill, covered, until skin is crisp and meat is cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes more.