Valentine Cast

From Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson. Copyright 2010 Nigella Lawson. Published by Hyperion. All Rights Reserved.

Show: Nigella KitchenEpisode: Can’t Live Without

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons regular olive oil
• 8 chicken thighs (with skin on and bone in), preferably organic
• 1 bunch or 6 scallions
• 8 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 40 cloves garlic (approximately 3 to 4 heads), unpeeled
• 2 tablespoons dry white vermouth or white wine
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoons table salt
• Good grinding pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the oil on the stovetop in a wide, shallow ovenproof and flameproof Dutch oven (that will ultimately fit all the chicken in one layer, and that has a lid), and sear the chicken over a high heat, skin-side down. This may take 2 batches, so transfer the browned pieces to a bowl as you go.

Once the chicken pieces are seared, transfer them all to the bowl. Finely slice the scallions, put them into the Dutch oven and quickly stir-fry them with the leaves torn from a few sprigs of thyme.

Put 20 of the unpeeled cloves of garlic (papery excess removed) into the pan, top with the chicken pieces skin-side up, then cover with the remaining 20 cloves of garlic. Add the vermouth (or white wine) to any oily, chickeny juices left in the bowl. Swish it around and pour this into the pan too. Sprinkle with the salt, grind over the pepper, and add a few more sprigs of thyme. Put on the lid and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours.

Make Ahead Note: Chicken can be browned and casserole assembled 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. Season with salt and pepper and warm the pan gently on the stovetop for 5 minutes before baking as directed in recipe.