Chicken With Forty Cloves Of Garlic

In a saucepan blanch garlic cloves in boiling water to cover for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and peel. Sprinkle chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Rub outside of chicken with butter and truss.

Spread a flameproof baking dish with softened butter and arrange the chicken on 1 side. Roast in lower third of a preheated 425 degree for 10 minutes. Turn and roast, on the other side, basting, for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375, turn breast-side up and add garlic. Roast for 20 minutes more, or until juices run clear.

Transfer chicken to platter stand for 5 minutes, remove truss strings. Transfer garlic to platter. Keep warm covered.

Add 1/2 cup wine to pan and deglaze. Pour into saucepan and reduce to 2 tablespoons. Add 1 cup chicken stock and reduce to 1/2 cup. Remove pan from heat and swirl in tablespoons softened unsalted butter and add lemon juice to taste. Garnish with parsley.

This recipe yields 4 servings.