The Charms of Garlic

Although garlic as a ward against evil is most closely associated with vampires, thanks to Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula, it has in fact a long and near-universal reputation as a form of protection against many kinds of evil. In China and Malaysia it’s used to ward of spirits. In Greece it offers protection form an evil eye. And in the West Indies it’s used to protect against spells. In terms of practical uses of garlic’s repellant power, my ex-wife, who was highly allergic to fleas, used it to great effect to repel the little demons during an infestation of our house.

In Gilroy, California, depending upon your feelings about tourists, you could say garlic is used to attract evil.

Between my own needs and cooking for my clients, I go through two to three heads a week — unless I’m fixing something that features garlic such as Poulet aux Quarante Gousses d'Ail — Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic.

I had an urge for this dish this past weekend, but I had a few ideas about a variation on it. Primarily, in the classic recipe the chicken is braised — typically in wine. But not only did I want lots of garlic, but I wanted a roast chicken. So here’s what I did:

Chicken with 33 Cloves of Garlic
Serves 4 – 6

4 lb whole chicken — rinsed and patted dry
2 tbsp olive oil
1 ea md onion — cut into large chunks
2 ea md carrots — cut into 1” lengths
2 stalks md celery — cut into 1” lengths
3 ea garlic heads — cloves separated and peeled
1 ea lemon –— quartered
3 tbsp butter
salt and pepper
2 tsp dried ground rosemary
1/2 c dry vermouth
1 c chicken broth

Heat oven to 375F.

Coat bottom of a small (9”x 13”) shallow roasting pan with olive oil. Layer cut up vegetables, including garlic, in the bottom. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of rosemary.

Stuff lemon quarters into chicken’s cavity. Using your hand, smear butter over breast side of bird. Season with salt and pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of rosemary. Place bird breast-side down on vegetables. Butter back of bird and season.

Place in center of oven, breast-side down and cook for 30 minutes (check after 15 minutes to be sure vegetables aren’t burning, if they are, add a couple of tablespoons of water or chicken stock to pan). Remove from oven and, using paper towels to protect your hands, rotate chicken breast-side up. Return to oven and continue cooking for 30 – 45 minutes — until an instant read thermometer inserted in inside of thigh registers 165F.

Place bird on a plate and tent with foil.

Remove vegetables from the roasting pan and reserve. Deglaze pan with vermouth and and chicken broth and reduce to 1 cup. Combine pan juices with vegetables in a blender and puree. Serve as a sauce on chicken.

 

Kevin Weeks is a Gather food correspondent (Paisano), personal chef, cooking teacher, and writer in Knoxville, Tennessee who spends too many hours on his feet, cooking. "Paisano" is a column focused on peasant dishes from around the world. To read more of Kevin's writings or connect to him click here. His blog,Seriously Good, is read by 75,000 cooks a month and in addition he writes a weekly column forSpot-On.