Roast chicken with dates, olives and capers

Ingredients

• 8 chicken legs, drumstick and thigh attached, skin on (2kg net)
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 15g fresh oregano, torn, plus extra for garnish
• 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 100g pitted green olives
• 60g capers, plus 2 tbsp of their juices
• 70g pitted and quartered lengthways Medjoul dates
• 2 bay leaves
• 120ml dry white wine
• 1 tbsp date syrup or treacle
• Salt and black pepper

Procedure

1. Place the chicken in a large, non-reactive bowl and add all of the ingredients, apart from the wine and date molasses, along with ¾ teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. 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.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C.
3. 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.
4. Remove from the oven, transfer everything to a large platter, sprinkle over some freshly picked oregano leaves and serve.