Oven-Roasted Chicken With Forty Garlic Cloves

Yes that's right - 40 garlic cloves, about four heads of garlic! Try to use large, plump. fresh heads. Best-ever chicken guaranteed! After two hours of slow roasting ,the chicken is fragrant and melt-in-the-mouth tender, and the roasted cloves of garlic are a sublime spread on toasted crusty bread. This aromatic provencale dish cooks the garlics to a soft puree that is sweet, nutty and socially acceptable the morning after. My family have been enjoying this for years, and they think I put a lot of work into it. But instead for two hours you can put your feet up!

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 (1 kg)  chicken
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
•  salt and black pepper
• 1  lemon, thinly sliced
• 10 -14  sprigs rosemary, be generous
• 4  heads garlic
• 2  tablespoons olive oil

• Sealing paste

• 1  cup plain flour
• 1  tablespoon  oil
• 1⁄2 cup water

Directions

1. WASH and clean the inside cavity of each chicken, and pat dry with absorbent paper.
2. Rub oil over each chicken. Season each generously with salt and pepper, using your hands to rub the seasoning thoroughly over the chicken.
3. Tuck the wing tips under the chicken, place a few lemon slices inside the cavity of each chicken, followed by sprigs of herbs.
4. Tie the legs together with kitchen string.
5. Place the chickens side by side in a deep casserole dish (one with a tight fitting lid).
6. See note:
7. Twist the central stalk of the garlic heads to loosen the cloves, rub away any loose papery skin but don't peel the cloves.
8. Sprinkle cloves around the chickens, add remaining lemon slices and sprigs of herbs, and drizzle with extra olive oil.
9. Note: If you do not have a tight fitting lid use sealing paste.
10. TO MAKE SEALING PASTE blend flour with combined oil and water to form a dough-like paste. With your fingers, spread the paste around the edge of the casserole dish and gently press the lid over the paste.
11. COOK the chicken in a moderately slow 160c oven for 2 hours. Do not remove the lid.
12. A green salad is all you need as an accompaniment.