Chicken, Flaming

To follow the flaming cocktails, and amidst a blaze of autumn leaves, here is a favorite recipe for (momentarily) flaming chicken, the garlic softened and mellowed in cooking.

Baked Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

(slightly modified from Mediterranean Light by Martha Rose Shulman)

3 or 4 pounds skinless chicken pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

40 large, meaty garlic cloves, unpeeled

1 ¾ cups dry white wine

4 thyme sprigs or ¼ teaspoon dried

1 rosemary sprig or ¼ teaspoon dried

2 tablespoons Cognac

chopped fresh parsley for garnish

toasted slices of baguette or Italian bread

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed flameproof casserole wide enough to accommodate the chicken in a single layer. Add the chicken and salt and pepper lightly. Saute for 5 minutes, then turn over and saute another 5 minutes. If the bottom of the pan scorches a little, don’t worry, it won’t affect the flavor of the dish. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan.

Add the garlic and saute, stirring, for 3 to 5 minutes, until beginning to brown. Again, don’t worry about scorching. Spread the cloves in a single layer and return the chicken pieces to the pot. Add the wine, thyme, and rosemary and cover tightly.

Place the casserole in the oven and bake 45 minutes. Check the chicken after that time. It should be tender and fragrant. If it isn’t quite cooked through or very tender, bake another 15 minutes.

Remove the casserole from the oven. Heat the Cognac in a small saucepan and light with a match. Pour over the chicken and shake the casserole until the flames die down. Taste the sauce in the pan, adjust seasonings, and sprinkle with parsley.

To serve, place a couple of pieces of toasted bread on each plate, a piece of chicken or two, topped with some of the sauce in the pan, and several garlic cloves, which your guests should squeeze out onto the bread.

Enjoy!

image: Christie B. Cochrell, Fall Leaves