Chicken Marbella
Discovered during a Ramadan feast held at a friend’s in Los Angeles. Remember to marinade it for 24 hours for the richest flavors.
4 chickens, 2 1/2 lb. each, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed (I used the jarred garlic)
1/4 Cup dried oregano
salt and pepper
1/2 C red wine vinegar
1/2 C. olive oil
1 C pitted prunes
1/2 C pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 C capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 C brown sugar
1 C white wine (is this appropriate for Iftar?)
1/4 C Italian parsley or cilantro, finely chopped
1. In large bowl combine chicken quarters, and everything through bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnite.
2. Preheat oven to 350″
3. Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
4. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.
5. With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parley or cilantro. (I never remember the sprinkes.) Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.
Enjoy!
