Forty Cloves of Garlic

FORTY CLOVES OF GARLIC

2T butter
1T olive oil
1 (3lb) chicken, cut up
40 garlic cloves, unpeeled
2T lemon juice
1/2t dried thyme
1t salt
1/4t freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. In a large Dutch oven, melt butter in oil. add chicken and cook, turning, until golden, 5-10 minutes. Tilt pan and spoon off all but 2T fat. Add garlic and stir to coat. Sprinkle with lemon juice, thyme, salt, pepper and 1/4c water. Cover tightly and bake 1-1/2 hours.
**The garlic actually becomes quite mild while cooking. Slow cooking allows the cloves to perfume the chicken and they can be eaten as a side or spread on bread or crackers.