chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

We don't eat much meat these days, but while in Vermont this weekend, I splurged and bought a Misty Knoll chicken.  I love shopping at Hunger Mountain co-op, because they stock and showcase so many local products. The chicken came back to CT in our back-and-forth cooler, packed in ice. Tonight, I made one of our favorite recipes, and used up a bunch of the garlic from last summer's harvest.

This is one of my late mother-in-law's recipes, and I missed her as I worked in my kitchen this afternoon. (She would be delighted to know that all the garlic came from our long dreamed of gardens in Vermont.) I share the recipe with you here...

1 5-lb roasting chicken

salt and freshly ground pepper

7 Tbsp olive oil

40 cloves garlic, unpeeled

1 large bouquet garni (fresh rosemary, thyme, basil and celery springs)

1 1/2 cups flour

1 loaf French bread

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

-Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper.

-Place the chicken in an ovenproof casserole, preferably terra-cotta.

-Drizzle olive oil evenly over the chicken to coat well.

-Arrange the garlic cloves around the chicken, add the bouquet garni.

-Season with salt and pepper.

-Mix the flour with just enough water to make a dough, roll the dough out into a 1 1/2" strip slightly larger than the circumference of the casserole. Place the dough around the rim of the casserole and seal with the lid. 

-Place the casserole in the the oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours.

Slice the bread and toast until golden brown. Reserve. When the chicken is cooked, carve it into pieces and serve the garlic cloves (to be spread on the grilled toast).

Gorgeous Le Creuset casserole from my best buddy, Liz.

She spoils me.

xo