ROAST CHICKEN
with 40 Cloves of Meltingly Tender Garlic
About the Recipe
By the time January kicks in, I'm done with fois gras, done with prime rib, done with whipped cream desserts-at least for a while. What I'm ready for is basic comfort food. This recipe for Roast Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic is a loose adaptation of a Richard Olney signature dish, and has been a favorite of mine and of my cooking students for years. Enlivened with Pernod and a myriad of herbs and spices, the cuisine de grandmère concoction outdoes Grandma’s wildest dreams. And because the casserole is covered until the last 20 minutes of cooking, optimum juiciness is guaranteed. When the lid is removed and the heat raised, the bird slips seamlessly from pale gold to crispy brown perfection.
If you are freaked out by the idea of Pernod with your chicken and of so much garlic, please don't be. It turns out that a few tablespoons of the anise-flavored liqueur exude a mellow opulence, and that all those garlic cloves, caramelized on the outside while remaining sumptuously soft within, are food for the gods. Spread on thick slices of Country Toast or on the chicken itself, the garlic goes down as easily as creamery butter. I like to serve the chicken with pan-roasted root veggies, but sautéed green beans, most spinach preparations, green peas and/or potatoes or noodles work just fine too.
Ingredients
For the Seasoning:
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1⁄2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Chicken:
1 (4 1⁄2–5 pound) whole chicken, rinsed in cool water and dried
1 large onion, sliced
1⁄2 bulb fennel, trimmed and sliced
10 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
1 small bunch fresh tarragon, plus more,chopped, for garnish
1 bay leaf
40 cloves garlic, whole and unpeeled
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons of Pernod, Sambuca, or
other anise-flavored liqueur
Method
Make the Seasoning; combine the thyme, salt, and pepper and set aside.
Place 1⁄2 each of the onion, fennel, parsley, and tarragon in the bottom of a lidded casserole just large enough to hold the chicken. Rub the chicken, inside and out, with the seasoning, place the bay leaf and the remaining 1⁄2 of the vegetables and herbs inside the chicken, and place it, breast side up, in the casse- role. Set aside. (Refrigerate if not roasting within 4 hours.)
With a rack adjusted to the lower-third position, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Combine the garlic, oil, salt, and pepper and pour the mixture over the chicken. Then pour the Pernod over the chicken.
Cover the casserole and roast for 1 hour.
Raise the oven temperature to 500°F and remove the lid. If, once you’ve removed the lid, you can fit the casserole on a higher rack, do so as the chicken will brown better. Continue roasting for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and cooked through. Test for doneness by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with a fork or inserting an instant-read thermometer. The juices should run clear rather than pink and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the breast should register 158°F.
Place the chicken on a carving board to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.
While the chicken is resting, use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked garlic to a small bowl. Set aside.
Strain the juices from the casserole into a heatproof pitcher. Re- frigerate or freeze so that the fat will rise to the top more quickly.
Remove the pitcher from the refrigerator or freezer and use a spoon to remove as much of the fat as possible. Reheat the pan juices in a microwave or transfer them to a small saucepan and warm over medium heat.
Carve the chicken and arrange the slices on a serving platter. Pour about 1⁄4 of the warmed pan juices over the chicken. Top with the cooked garlic and garnish with the chopped tarragon.
Serve the chicken hot or warm with the pitcher of remaining pan juices.