Chicken Saute with Garlic

To serve 4
3 to 4 lb. chicken, cut into serving pieces
3 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup olive oil
30 garlic cloves, unpeeled
10 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
salt and pepper
2/3 cup dry white wine

Heat the butter and oil in a saute pan or a cast-iron casserole.
Place the chicken pieces in the pan and brown them lightly on one side, over medium heat to avoid burning the fat. Turn the pieces and brown them on the other side. Add the unpeeled garlic cloves and the shallots. Saut6 for 10 minutes or until the skins of the garlic cloves are lightly colored. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Add the wine, cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook gently for about 30 minutes. When the meat is done, uncover the pan and turn the heat very high. Boil the wine, stirring constantly, until the liquid completely evaporates.

Bring the saute pan to the table and serve the chicken pieces with the garlic cloves. Eat the garlic with the chicken, first biting into each clove so that you can slide the tough skin off and discard it on your plate. The taste of the garlic is exquisitely subtle.