BAKED CHICKEN WITH 40 CLOVES OF GARLIC

BAKED CHICKEN WITH 40 CLOVES OF GARLIC image

Categories Chicken

Yield 4 people

Number Of Ingredients 9

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3-4 pounds chicken, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
40 large, meaty cloves garlic, unpeeled (about 4 heads)
1 3/4 cups dry white wine
4 sprigs thyme, or 1/4 tsp dried
2 tablespoons cognac
chopped fresh parsley
8 garlic croutons, made from coars bread

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350. Remove skin from chicken Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed, flameproof casserole wide enough to accommadte the chicken in a single layer. Add chicken, and salt and pepper lightly. Saute both sides of chicken 5 minutes each. Remove chicken. Don't worry if the bottom of the pan scorches a little. Spread cloves in a single layer and return the chicken pieces of the pot. Return chicken pieces to the pot. Add wine, thyme and rosemary and cover tightly. Place casserole in the oven and bake 45 minutes. After 45 minutes check the chicken. If should be tender and fragrant. If it isn't quite cooked through or very tender, bake another 15 minutes. Remove casserole from oven. Heat cognac in a smaill saucepan and light with a match. Pour over chicken and shake the casserole until the flames die down. Taste the sauce in the pot, adjust seasonings and sprinkle with parsley. To make croutons, slice a load of coarse bread into 1/2 inch slices. Toast in an oven preheated to 350 until they begin to color. Rub with a garlic clove and brush with a little olive oil. To serve, place a couple of garlic croutons on each plate, a piece of chicken or tow, topped with some of the sauce in the pan and several garlic cloves. Guest should squeeze garlic out of skins onto the croutons.