Forty Clove Chicken

Makes 4

Teri Glahn

ingredients

BRINE

3 cups water
3 cups white wine
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1/2 onion, roughly chopped
10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tsp whole white pepercorns
6 bay leaves
3-4 parsley stems
1 sprig thyme
1/4 cup salt
1/4 cup sugar

CHICKEN

1 x 3-3.5 lb chicken
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 bulbs garlic, tops cut off lengthways
4 sprigs parsley
2 sprigs thyme
1 onion sliced into 1/4 in rings
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

BREAD SALAD

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp currants, soaking in 0.25 cup sweet wine (vin santo or late harvest wine)
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 cups arugula, washed and dried
3 cups 1 inch cubed foccacia, about 1/2 loaf, lightly toasted
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
salt and pepper to taste

GRILLED OYSTER MUSHROOMS

3 cups oyster mushrooms
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

directions

BRINE

1
To prepare brine, combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Let cool to room temperature.
2
Submerge chicken in brine, weighing down with plate if necessary, let stand overnight in fridge

CHICKEN

1
Preheat oven to 400. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry. Strain brine. reserving solids.
2
Smear half the butter under the breast skin. Tuck sliced garlic under skin as well. Tuck fresh herbs and brine solids (onion, celery garlic cloves, etc) inside before trussing chicken.
3
Rub remaining butter into skin and season generously all over with coarse salt and pepper. Arrange onion slices in lightly oiled roasting pan. Place chicken on top. Toss garlic bulbs in olive oil and arrange beside chicken.
4
Roast in oven, basting occasionally, for about 1 hour or until juices run clear. Rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

BREAD SALAD

To make bread salad, combine arugula, cubed bread and drained currants in a medium bowl. Lightly toss with olive oil, 1 tbsp of sweet wine and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

GRILLED OYSTER MUSHROOMS

1
Preheat grill to high. Trim off any woddy stems. Drizzle mushrooms with 2 tbsp olive oil; season lightly with salt and pepper.
2
Grill mushrooms until lightly charred and crispy in places, about 2-3 minutes each side. Transfer to plate or tray and keep warm unitl serving. Finish by drizzling remaining tbsp olive oil over.

Source: The Main: Garlic - Anthony Selak