Forty Cloves Garlic Chicken

From: Executive chef Andrea Froncillo, The Stinking Rose, San Francisco. Yield: 4 servings.

1 large (2½ to 3 lb.) broiler-fryer chicken

Marinade:

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. Christopher Ranch Heirloom Garlic, minced

leaves from 1 sprig rosemary, minced

to taste, salt and freshly ground pepper

Sauce:

1 cup dry red wine

1 shallot, quartered

4 Christopher Ranch Heirloom Garlic cloves, chopped

leaves from 1 sprig rosemary, minced

leaves from 2 sprigs thyme, minced

1¼ cups heavy cream

½ cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks

to taste, salt and freshly ground black pepper

1½ cups roasted Christopher Ranch Heirloom Garlic cloves

Remove giblets from chicken and reserve for another use. With large, sharp kinfe, cut chicken in half lengthwise, then cut in half crosswise to separate the breast from the thighs.

For marinade: Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Put chicken parts in heavy resealable plastic bag, pour marinade over chicken, and seal bag. Work hands over the bag until liquid covers all the chicken parts. Place the bag in the refrigerator for one to three hours.

For sauce: In heavy saucepan, combine the wine, shallot, garlic, rosemary and thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for two to three minutes. Gradually stir in the cream and cook to reduce liquid by one-third, about 10 minutes. Add the butter in batches, stirring to melt. Season with salt and pepper. Pass the sauce through a fine-meshed sieve, cover, and set aside.

Preheat ove to 350°F. Put chicken in heavy baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn chicken pieces over and baste with pan juices. Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the skin is crackly and golden brown and meat is opaque throughout. Arrange the chicken on serving platter. Pour the warm sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with Christopher Ranch Heirloom roasted garlic cloves. Serve immediately.