Tomatillos

Chicken with Shallots and Tomatillos

Baked chicken thighs on a bed of shallots and tomatillos with a shallot/herb sauce and crisped shallot garnish. Serves 4.

10 large shallots (reserve largest for garnish)
Salt
Pepper
2 handfuls of fresh parsley
1 large handful of fresh lemon thyme (if not available, regular thyme)
Olive oil
8 bone-in chicken thighs
Fresh nutmeg
8 medium tomatillos, paper skin removed, cut in eighths
2 pinches of saffron
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon butter

Sauce: Preheat oven to 375°. Bake 3 shallots, unpeeled, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet for 45 to 50 minutes. When shallots have cooled, squeeze soft part out of their skins into a blender or food processor. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper, parsley, lemon thyme leaves stripped from their stems, and 3/4 of a cup of olive oil. Blend.

Chicken: Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly oil baking sheet. Pat chicken thighs dry. Salt and pepper both sides. Place on baking sheet skin side up. Grate nutmeg on top. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake till done, about 50 minutes.

Bed: Peel and slice six shallots. In as little oil as possible, sauté shallots and tomatillos seasoned with salt, ground pepper, a liberal grating of nutmeg, saffron, and brown sugar till tomatillos are soft, about 5 minutes.

Garnish: Peel and slice largest shallot very thin and break up into rings. Sauté in butter till golden brown and crisp.

To serve: Place a bed of shallot/tomatillo mixture on plate, place chicken on top. Spoon sauce over chicken. Garnish with shallot crisps.