MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Chicken A La Poitevine
Categories: Chicken
Yield: 6 Servings

3 lb Roasting chicken
2 tb Butter
1 tb Oil
L4 pt Brandy
1 Garlic head
Salt & pepper

Joint the chicken into the usual 7 pieces or buy 2 to 3 lb chicken
portions. Separate the head of garlic into cloves and peel them.
Don't be put off by the quantity of garlic it doesn't taint the
breath at all. Above all, don't reduce the proportion.

In a large casserole, heat the oil with the butter until the froth
subsides. Don't let the butter bum. A few pieces at a time, fry the
carefully dried chicken joints on both sides, turning once only. You
don't want to cook them, just brown them lightly.

As soon as they are all cooked, pour off the excess fat trying to
keep any crusty bits in the pan. I put a knife blade on the edge just
to let through the fat. Return the browned chicken to the hot
casserole, and still over moderate heat, pour over half the brandy,
which you have warmed gently in a ladle. Set light to it, shaking
until the flames subside. Watch out for your hair!

Reduce heat, pour over the brandy, add the whole garlic, cloves,
season generously with freshly ground pepper. Cook 20 to 40 minutes
depending on how well cooked you like your chicken done, or until
tender. For modern broilers 20 minutes is long enough for them to be
tender. For older free-range chicken, 40 minutes may not be long
enough! You will have a few tablespoonful of sauce. Correct seasoning
and serve very hot. The garlic cloves will be deliciously edible.

This recipe was invented through the force of circumstances, when we
were camping in the Medoc. We badnt really thought about shopping, as
we were spending all our time visiting great Bordeaux Chateaux. We
had some garlic, a chicken, and of course some brandy, so remembering
a very similar dish based on slices of mutton, and another where a
chicken is baked on a whole pound of garlic, this is what I came up
with. It's been a firm favourite ever since.

Recipe by Ian Hoare

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