1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish
green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 head of garlic, peeled, finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper
4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley or fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Combine the olive oil, vinegar, prunes, olives, capers and juice, bay leaves, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon the marinade over chicken evenly. Sprinkle the chicken with brown sugar and pour white wine over chicken.
Bake, basting frequently with pan juices, until thigh pieces yield clear yellow juice when pricked with a fork, 50 minutes to 1 hour. With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of the pan juices; sprinkle generously with the parsley or cilantro. Pass the remaining pan juices in a sauce boat. Makes 16 servings.
SCANDINAVIAN POTATO SALAD
8 to 9 new potatoes, about 1 pound
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly grated pepper
1 cup sour cream
cup chopped red onion
cup chopped fresh dill
Scrub the potatoes with a soft brush under running water. Quarter them and drop them into a large heavy pot of cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender but still firm, for 8-10 minutes after the water reaches a boil.
When the potatoes are done, drain them and place them in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste; add the sour cream to the still-hot potatoes and toss gently. Add the chopped onion and dill, toss again and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours.
Before serving, toss again, correct the seasoning and add more sour cream if the salad seems dry. Makes 4 servings.
