Ingredients

• 8 chicken leg quarters
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 6 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh tarragon or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon
• 1/2 cup dry vermouth
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• 40 garlic cloves, crushed under a knife and peeled

Instructions

1. Wash the chicken legs and thighs and thoroughly dry with paper towels. Put the oil in a shallow dish or a plate and turn the chicken in the oil to coat on all sides. Reserve the unused oil. Lay the sliced celery in the bottom of a heavy casserole or Dutch oven (not uncoated cast iron) with a tight-fitting lid. Add the parsley and tarragon, then lay the chicken pieces on top. Pour the vermouth over the chicken, and add 1 teaspoon salt, the pepper, and the nutmeg.
2. Pour the reserved oil into the casserole, then toss in all the garlic and sprinkle with the remaining salt. Put a piece of aluminum foil over the casserole and then cover to make a tight seal; or make a thick, heavy flour and water paste to seal the lid, and cover the lid and paste with another layer of foil. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 1 1/2 hours without removing the lid. To serve remove the foil (or break and remove the flour paste seal) and serve hot, from the pot.