chicken marbella & chocolate caramel tart

i was driving home from work on tuesday, i had yle mondo and NRP news on. ari shapiro was talking with someone and they were discussing sheila lukins who had died on sunday. shapiro asked the lady what was her favourite recipe of lukins' that she kept going back to. she described a chicken dish marinated with garlic, prunes, vinegar and olive oil. she then added that brown sugar was added on top, the whole thing slow roasted in oven. i knew i had to try that on my day off...

i looked up the recipe, it's chicken marbella. the lady shapiro was interviewing was lynne rosetto kasper of the spendid table. just for the record, i only have 2 of lukins' cookbooks...

the recipe calls for whole chickens, didn't want to drive around to get some so i bought chicken leg quarters instead. here is what went into the marinade







all cosy in oven pan, before brown sugar







after brown sugar







happily soaking in white wine







didn't want toget too fancy, plated with boiled potatoes. there was nice bread and mixed greens with lime vinaigrette to go along







even since i got the april issue of saveur magazine i have wanted to make the ultimate chocolate caramel tart that was pictured on the cover. what has put me off this long? well, have a check of the ingredients and you'll know. if you think your ordinary chocolate tart is bad for your waist...

here is the innocent start of it







before baking, the recipe made one 9" pan plus four 3½" pans







after baking







caramel filling







ganache. mine didn't come out smooth as i would have hoped, could be the cream was too hot, or cold...







ready to be served with salt on. initially i thought that the salt was a bit too much, but it really hit the note







tomorrow is yet another day at the office, just as good, i get to share rest of the tart. there is no way i could possibly eat all that myself (nor share with certain someone now that he thinks he's gone "fat") knowing what went into it