Roasted Chicken With Dates, Olives and Capers

Ingredients

• 8 whole chicken legs, drumstick and thigh attached and skin on.
• 5 large cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 oz fresh oregano, plus extra for garnish
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 oz pitted green olives
• 2 oz capers, plus 2 tbsp of their juices
• 3 oz Medjool dates, pitted and and quartered lengthways
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 fl oz dry white wine
• 1 tbsp date syrup or treacle
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Place the chicken in a large, non reactive bowl and add all of the ingredients, apart form the wine and date molasses, along with 3/4 tsp of salt and a good grind of pepper.
3. Gently mix everything together, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 2 days, stirring the ingredients a few times during the process.
4. Spread out the chicken legs on a large baking tray, along with all the marinade ingredients. Whisk together the wine and molasses and pour over the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 50 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times, until the meat is golden brown on top and cooked through.
5. Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large warm platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.