Chicken wih Forty Cloves of Garlic

[Earthbabe]

Had to post this as although the recipe says wet garlic we have made it with dried and it is a wonderful way to do chicken. Just don't cook it if you have to go to work the following day!!

Serves 6

a lemon, halved
a 2kg free range chicken, ready for roasting
4 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
40 cloves of wet or young garlic
a sprig of fresh rosemary
a bay leaf or two
a little chicken stock

Put the lemon halves inside the chicken. Using your hands rub the bird with the oil and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put into an oven preheated to 240C/Gas 9 for about 25 mins until golden brown.

Meanwhile prepare the garlic. Remove the skin from each head and split the cloves. Take off the thick peel if you like bit it is not necessary with fresh young garlic to remove the skin entirely. Take the chicken out of the oven and scatter the garlic and herbs around the bird. Return to the oven for about an hour.

When the chicken is cooked remove it from the roasting tin and put it on a plate. Using a slotted spoon transfer the garlic cloves, which should be a deep shiny brown, to a serving plate. Drain any juices that have come from the chicken in to the roasting tin. Holding the chicken at an angle, carefully press the lemon inside the chicken with a meat fork to get out all the juice and put that juice into the roasting tin as well. Deglaze the pan with a little chicken stock or water to make a thin gravy while the chicken rests. Pour the gravy over the chicken and serve.

Delicious!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi EB! I've never actually cooked this, although have seen it on Nigel Slaters programme on TV. I really must give it a try. DDL

[Earthbabe]

It's in his Real Food book. Definitely not one for the faint hearted. He also gives instructions for roasting garlic if I could only find the thread.

[pigletwillie]

Slightly different but if you want the juciest chicken you have ever cooked try this.

Get 1 standard sized chicken, a lemon and some olive oil.

Chop the lemon into wedges and stuff them into the chicken. Put a little olive oil into the palm of your hand and rub it all over the chicken.

Now, this is the important part, turn your oven up to its highest setting and only when its at temperature put your chicken in on the middle shelf. After about 55 minutes pierce a thigh to see if the juices run clear. If they do its ready, if not give it 5 minutes longer and pierce again (it may need several goes depending upon the size of bird). Take the bird out of the oven and place on a carving plate and allow to rest for a few minutes. Carve and enjoy.

Trust me, it really does give you a really juicy, moist bird.

[nick the grief]

........Trust me, it really does give you a really juicy, moist bird.

oo errr piglet. Not as smelly as 40 cloves of garlic either

[Waffler]

Trust you Nick!!

EB, that sounds delicious. might be one to try with the wet garlic that will hopefully come to fruition (if I get it planted!) next year. Though I might have to try it beforehand with the dried variety.

[Alice]

I know roast garlic is much milder than fresh but after my efforts here last week I don't think I have the courage for 40 cloves. I was making a pate with beans and recotta cheese which asked for 1 clove of garlic. The garlic seemed very mild so I added 3. Wow ! Methinks too much. I ate it rather than waste it and was reluctant to leave the house for 2 days. I'm going easy on it for a while.

[Mrs Dobby]

Roast garlic is much milder, we usually roast a bulb or two when we do a barbeque, just wrap the whole bulb in tin foil with a little butter, then when its cooked you just squeeze the base of the bulb and all of the cloves pop up ready peeled, very scrummy!

[Alice]

I think from now on I'll roast the garlic for the pate. Would be a much more subtle flavour.

[Earthbabe]

Mrs D have you ever tried roast garlic on toast on its own? An alternative would be to use it to make a tapenade (black olive paste).

[Mrs Dobby]

Not tried that EB, sounds really good! Will try it once we have some grown, I aint paying Tesco's prices for fresh garlic!

I have used whole raw cloves to rub onto crusty bread to make garlic bread, but never tried it on toast!

The tapenade sounds intriguing, hadnt thought of trying anything like that with it, do you perchance have a recipe we could borrow? Promise to give it back, honest!

[Earthbabe]

I'm not sure Mrs D but I'll have a look.

Another way to use garlic if you want a subtle flavour and have a wooden salad bowl is to rub the garlic around the bowl.

[yoanbob]

mm i love roast garlic, on fresh crusty bread.
we love it so much we do it on the bbq in summer, just wrap a bulb in foil and pop on barbie, squeese cloves on to bread. yummy.