Chicken Marbella

Find the thigh bone in each of the 12 thighs, turn it over and make two cuts perpendicular to the bone through the skin about an inch and a half apart, so the marinade gets in deeper and faster.

Whisk a marinade of crushed garlic, an equally generous amount of dried oregano, black pepper, kosher salt at a teaspoon per pound of meat, a few shakes of cayenne, caper brine, red wine vinegar and olive oil.

Scatter half the halved green olives, chopped prunes and capers over the bottom of a container that holds all the thighs in one layer.

Lay the chicken in skin side down and spoon a generous spoonful of marinade over each thigh.

Flip them all skin side up, scatter the rest of the olives, prunes and capers over, and spoon the rest of the marinade over the top.

Press a piece of parchment paper down over the top, cover, and refrigerate 24 hours; overnight is fine but the full 24 is better.

The next day lay it skin side up in a large roasting pan and scatter the remaining olives, capers, dried plums and excess marinade evenly over, clearing the tops of the thighs.

Pour over one cup of white wine.

Sprinkle about half the brown sugar over the tops.

Roast in the centre of a 350 degree oven for an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half in total.

After about 40 to 45 minutes pull it out, baste the tops and sprinkle on the rest of the brown sugar, then return it until the meat is fork tender but not falling off the bone.

Optional: crank the oven to 425 for the last 15 minutes or so for extra browning.

Baste once more so the tops are shiny and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Serve over mashed potatoes with plenty of the olives, dried plums and cooking liquid spooned over.