Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

There have been many times in the past where I scanned thru a recipe for chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, but I never really got around to  making it.  In theory they all sounded good, I but I noticed that almost always  the chicken was essentially stewed in a closed moist environment and I personally don't n like rubbery chicken skin.
  I recently saw Ina Garten make a similar recipe and I looked at it and had decided that if I was going to make this recipe, that her recipe and method would be the one I would follow.

Then this week, while looking through the recipes from another source I came across this particular method. The first thing I noticed was the dark, crisp skin on the finished product. Separating the cooking methods, and not sealing the chicken in a pot seemed to solve the big issue I had with all the other recipes.

The first step of buying a great all organic chicken, cutting it up and then letting the pieces rest in a simple brine meant that the chicken would remain moist throughout the cooking process.
Secondly, roasting the garlic prior to adding it to the chicken and sauce meant that the final dish would have a much more complex and deep flavor. Better than just tossing 40+ cloves of garlic into a pot with the  chicken.

To get the great dark, crisp skin the chicken is browned on the stovetop over medium high heat. Once the chicken has that gorgeous golden color, they are taken out of the pan and the extra fat is removed. Good quality chicken stock and dry vermouth is used to deglaze the pan. The pre-roasted garlic and shallots are put back into the pan and the chicken pieces are set down onto the garlic. The upper half of the chicken is kept up out of the sauce. The whole pan is then put back into a 450 degree over for another 12-15 minutes. Just until the internal temp  of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Then the chicken is taken out of the pan and set aside to rest. The garlic and shallots are strained from the sauce, pressing gently to extract as much of the liquid as possible, but not enough to crush the cloves. 10 of the cloves are removed and set aside and then they are are  pushed through a sieve or minced into a paste and whisked back in to the sauce. 2 tablespoons of butter are whisked into the sauce, one tablespoon at a time  to make sure the butter is well incorporated and finally  just a  touch of fresh  parsley is stirred in just for color.

The garlic cloves and chicken are presented on a platter and the sauce can be served in a gravy boat on the side, or like I did; I just served the whole dish family style and poured the sauce over the chicken.

Although there is a 30 minute brine required for the recipe, this is an easy and quick recipe and I hope you get a chance to try it. Don't be scared of the amount of garlic in this recipe. Its actually very mellow and sweet. Its not over powering.

very simple, ingredients yet a very complex and wonderful flavor

• 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 to 4 pounds), cut into 8 pieces (4 breast pieces, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks) and trimmed of excess fat.
•   Ground black pepper
• 3 large heads garlic (about 8 ounces), outer papery skins removed, cloves separated and unpeeled
• 2 medium shallots , peeled and quartered pole to pole
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 1/2 pound organic, all natural chicken

Prior to roasting

30 minutes at 400 degrees, covered. Then
10 minutes longer uncovered. I think I actually
added another 8-10 minutes overall.

8 pieces of chicken, prior to brining

a 30 minute brine

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Dissolve 1/4-cup salt in 2 quarts cold tap water in large container or bowl; submerge chicken pieces in brine and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 30 minutes. Rinse chicken pieces under running water and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Season both sides of chicken pieces with pepper.
• 2. Meanwhile, toss garlic and shallots with 2 teaspoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste in 9-inch pie plate; cover tightly with foil and roast until softened and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes, shaking pan once to toss contents after 15 minutes (foil can be left on during tossing). Uncover, stir, and continue to roast, uncovered, until browned and fully tender, 10 minutes longer, stirring once or twice. Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.
• 3. Using kitchen twine, tie together thyme, rosemary, and bay; set aside. Heat remaining 1-teaspoon oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; swirl to coat pan with oil. Brown chicken pieces skin-side down until deep golden, about 5 minutes; using tongs, turn chicken pieces and brown until golden on second side, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to large plate and discard fat; off heat, add vermouth, chicken broth, and herbs, scraping bottom of skillet with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits. Set skillet over medium heat, add garlic/shallot mixture to pan, then return chicken, skin-side up, to pan, nestling pieces on top of and between garlic cloves.
• 4. Place skillet in oven and roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers about 160 degrees, 10 to 12 minutes. If desired, increase heat to broil and broil to crisp skin, 3 to 5 minutes. Using potholders or oven mitts, remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken to serving dish. Remove 10 to 12 garlic cloves to mesh sieve and reserve; using slotted spoon, scatter remaining garlic cloves and shallots around chicken and discard herbs. With rubber spatula push reserved garlic cloves through sieve and into bowl; discard skins. Add garlic paste to skillet. Bring liquid to simmer over medium-high heat, whisking occasionally to incorporate garlic; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in butter; pour sauce into sauceboat and serve.