The Stinking Rose

A number of years ago I had a week long business trip to the city by the bay, San Francisco. It was one of my first trips to the city (I’ve been there a dozen more times since) and I was excited to not only explore in the off hours but to try some of the city’s great restaurants. I, of course, wanted some fresh seafood, but the first restaurant I sought out was in the North Beach area (which is San Francisco’s Little Italy). Which restaurant was it? The Stinking Rose.

The Stinking Rose is a not just a garlic themed restaurant. It is much more than that. You might say it is a garlic infused one. From the time you approach you start to smell that garlic smell. Open the door and you can almost see the aroma wave hit you. There is garlic everywhere and in every dish. I went with a co-worker and we started with an appetizer of roasted garlic bathed in olive oil and garlic that was so soft you could spread it easily on the fresh bread they brought to the table. Garlic-heavy entrees followed and we chose to skip the garlic ice cream for dessert.

We went back to our rooms reeking of garlic. It oozed from every pore. In fact, the next morning my co-worker was so embarrassed by the garlic smell in his room, he put out the “Do not disturb” door hanger so the housekeeper didn’t have to go in.

When I saw this recipe, 40 Cloves and a Chicken, I immediately thought of the Stinking Rose. A quick check of their menu and yup, there it was “Forty Clove Garlic Chicken – roasted on the bone” for $19.95.

When I selected this recipe for the menu, I made two important choices. The first was to go with all thighs. As you all know, I’m a thigh guy. The second was to buy the garlic cloves already peeled. My local grocery store has an olive bar and one of the choices is peeled cloves of garlic. I counted my forty into a container and went along my merry way.

Searing the chicken in two batches.

In the baking dish with sprigs of thyme and lots of garlic.

It smelled great while it was roasting. Here is the finished product.

A dish that the Stinking Rose would be proud of.

40 Cloves and a Chicken

Prep Time: 10 M | Cook Time: 1 H 30 M | Makes: 6 servings | Difficulty: Intermediate

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (broiler/fryer) cut into 8 pieces
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 40 peeled cloves garlic
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Toss with a 2 tablespoons olive oil and brown on both sides in a wide fry pan or skillet over high heat. Remove from heat, add oil, thyme, and garlic cloves. Cover and bake for 1 1/2 hours.

Remove chicken from the oven, let rest for 5 to 10 minutes, carve, and serve.

Per Serving: Calories: 369; Total Fat: 19.5 grams; Saturated Fat: 5 grams; Protein: 40 grams; Total carbohydrates: 6 grams; Sugar: 0 grams; Fiber: 0.5 gram; Cholesterol: 136 milligrams; Sodium: 250 milligrams

Source: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/40-cloves-and-a-chicken-recipe/index.html