Living in Spain during my young years, my best friend in the whole world was Cristina.  We went to the same school, rode in the same bus, had same school uniforms and we were inseparable.  I was “adopted” by her family of 6 brothers and sisters and we spent many hours conniving over our next adventures and hoping we wouldn’t get caught afterwards!  I was eleven when I rode my first motorcycle, a Bultaco belonging to Cristina’s brother, Alfonso and I almost wasn’t strong enough to bear the weight and my feet hardly touched the ground.  I was always in trousers and wearing skirts or dresses was an aberration.  Those were the days!

I was clueless then that my comfortable world was about to be turned upside down and change dramatically.  I relocated to Singapore to live with my mom, dad and brother at the age of 12.

Malaga, where I had lived up to that point with my grandmother was as rural, rustic and unsophisticated as Singapore was glamorous and modern.  The municipality of Málaga, in the late seventies and early eighties was still entrenched in the old Spanish ways and didn’t boast of many present-day conveniences.  Shopping for everything was still conducted in family operated establishments.  Foodstuffs were acquired at the butcher, grocer, fish monger and bakeries all over town.  Toiletries and even cologne was acquired at the local pharmacy.

So many vivid recollections of walking alongside my grandma; the smells, noises, the taste of the local foods.  The restaurants, with their outdoors cafes, where people lounged watching the passersby with a quick late-afternoon conversation, enjoying their cortado or a blanco y negro, coffee with milk or a black coffee that packed the kick of a mule.

Leaving Spain alongside my childhood behind, I acclimated to the commerciality and metamorphosis Singaporean life.  In later years, I was able to return to Malaga and visit Cristina, which by that time was very married and had 2 children, as well as her brothers and sisters who also lived in conjugal bliss.  Where had the time gone?  Cristina had collected recipes from her own mom and grandma and I was able to steal a few, this being one.  After adding it to my repertoire, I’ve served it countless of times, much to the delight of my audiences.

This is typical, unpretentious Spanish farm-house food which delivers a real flavor bomb, embracing its simple roots.  It hails from old villages and tiny towns, some still with cobblestones, where recipes have been passed down through generations.  This is Cristina’s Pollo Agridulce.

 

8-9 chicken thighs, bone in and skins removed – this dish is best with bone in chicken thighs

Flour for dusting

1 head of garlic cloves removed and left whole with their skins – slightly smashed

1 ½ cups of light white wine (such as Pinot Gris or Chenin Blanc)

1 ½ cups of sweet sherry (it has to be sweet for this recipe and not dry)

3 bay leaves

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

 

Season the chicken with salt and pepper after washing and patting dry.  Lightly coat the thighs in flour shaking off excess.  In a skillet with high sides, add about 3 TBSP of olive oil and sear the chicken and garlic cloves on both sides to a golden brown, turning everything with tongs to ensure even browning, including the garlic.  Add the white wine, sweet sherry and bay leaves.  Simmer as low as possible, half covered, turning the chicken often through the cooking (so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan) until the sauce has reduced to a syrupy consistency.   Garnish with some fresh chopped parsley.

NOTE 

Ensure that the cooking liquid doesn’t reduce too much, as the sauce is what makes this dish so stelar, so have some baguette on hand for mopping.  The chicken is stunningly tender.  The light coating of flour allows the sauce to thicken and become syrupy from the sugar in the sherry.  Don’t be alarmed by the fact that it uses a whole head of garlic.  The garlic mellows and absorbs the flavor of the wines, as it braises, making it more sought after than the chicken itself – I guarantee everyone will fight to consume each lovely, nutty clove.  I am sure when you make it a second time (and I am pretty sure it will be one of your go-to chicken dishes) you’ll add even more garlic.  It’s that sensational.

VERSION II

As if this recipe wasn’t good enough as it is, here is a second variation for good measure.

Sauté some quartered shallots with the chicken and garlic cloves as they brown.  After both wines have been added, throw in ½ cup of golden raisins, 2 sprigs of rosemary, 1 whole stick of cinnamon and ½ cup of whole walnuts and follow the same cooking directions from the original recipe.