Poulet aux 40 gousses d'ail

I feel garlic is a dietary necessity. A kitchen without garlic is like a disney film without a happy ending; it just won't do. This recipe certainly celebrates garlic in all its glory and makes a really great cosy winter supper. I prefer not to use a whole chicken as smaller pieces are easier to handle, but with a whole chicken, it would make a wonderful Sunday roast accompanied with some veg. Personally i would much rather tuck into the chicken served with some risotto and french bread to mop up the juices, but its versatility allows for plenty of imagination.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 8 chicken breasts (or drum sticks)
• 1 sliced onion
  1 bunch of spring onions 
  fresh thyme
• 40 garlic cloves left unpeeled (about 4 bulbs)
• 3 tbsp dry white wine
• salt and pepper to season
  
  

  

  Slightly browning the chicken

  METHOD
  Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
  Heat the oil over a high heat in a casserole dish (preferably one that will fit all the chicken in one layer). Sear the chicken until nicely browned, possible done in two batches and transfer with the juices to a bowl and set aside.

  

  Few thyme sprigs extra just to make sure that flavour
  isn't missed!

  
  
  Finely slice the onions and spring onions and put them into the casserole dish, quickly stir-frying them with a few sprigs of thyme. More oil may need to be added at this point, but cautious not to over-load.
  Put 20 of the unpeeled cloves of garlic into the casserole dish, and let cook for 5 minutes. These should so nice soft and give a fantastic sweet aroma. Top them with the chicken pieces, then cover with the remaining 20 cloves of garlic. These cloves give a crunchier texture to the dish.
  
  
  Add the white wine to the casserole. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and add a few more sprigs of thyme. Put on the lid and cook in the oven for a good 1-1½ hours.
  
  
  
  

  Basic Risotto

  

  1. Bring 1 pint of vegetable (or chicken) stock to simmering point on a low heat. In a separate, fairly heavy-based saucepan sweat 2 diced onions in butter for a few minutes until soft but not coloured. Add the rice (half a cup per portion) and cook for a further few minutes.
  2. Add a glass of white wine to the saucepan and cook the rice until almost all the liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally to make sure the risotto does not stick on the bottom of the pan.
  3. Add a bit of the stock and again wait until its absorbed; continue to add the liquid by degrees, until the liquid is all absorbed. For a creamier risotto, i like to add a dash of double cream and some grated parmesan.
  4. Stir in any desired herbs to the risotto (parsley, rosemary, oregano...) and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  5. The risotto should be served not piping hot, and i find it tends to cool very rapidly!