Chicken Marbella

Serves 10

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup pitted prunes

1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives

1/2 cup capers, with some juice

6 bay leaves

1 head of garlic, peeled and pureed

1/4 cup oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

4 chickens (2 1/2 pounds each) quartered

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or cilantro

1. In a large bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and their juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat them all over. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

2. Set the oven at 350 degrees.

3. In two large roasting pans, arrange the chicken, skin side up, in a single layer. Spoon the marinade evenly over it. Sprinkle the pieces with brown sugar and pour the wine around the edges.

4. Bake the chicken, basting frequently with the juices in the pan, for 50 to 60 minutes or until the thigh pieces yield clear juice when pricked with a fork.

5. With tongs, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives, and capers to large platters. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of the cooking juices. Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro. Pass the remaining juices in a saucepan. Adapted from "The Silver Palate Cookbook"