Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Put the oil in a shallow dish, add the chicken pieces, and turn them to coat all sides evenly with the oil. Cover the bottom of a heavy 6-quart casserole with a mixture of the celery and onion, add the parsley and tarragon, and lay the chicken pieces on top. Pour the vermouth over them, sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and a dash or two of nutmeg, and tuck the garlic cloves around between the chicken pieces. Cover the top of the casserole tightly with aluminum foil and then the lid (this creates an airtight seal so the steam does not escape). Bake in a 375° oven for 1 1/2 hours, without removing the cover.

Serve the chicken, pan juices, and the whole garlic cloves with thin slices of heated French bread or hot toast. The garlic should be squeezed from the root end of its papery husk onto the bread or toast, spread like butter, and eaten with the chicken.